The 23rd WNBA season is upon us, and there's quite a lot of excitement to go along with it. There are new faces in new places, including at the top of the league's front office, but there are also some prominent names we won't see in action early on, or at all, in 2019.
This is Candace Parker's 11th WNBA season, and the two-time MVP shows no sign of slowing down. Since returning from a back injury that sidelined her at the start of the season, Parker is averaging 16.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
On Wednesday evening, the Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks will meet in Game 5 of the WNBA Finals for a second straight year, in a winner-takes-all game that will decide whether one of the most impressive sports dynasties in recent sports history will live on, or if a new one will take the throne.
There have been plenty of surprises this WNBA season, but the two teams at the top of the standing have not been among them. The top-seeded Minnesota Lynx and the defending champion Los Angeles Sparks both earned a double bye straight into the semifinals thanks to their great regular-season performances.