The WNBA Finally Has Stars. Why Is It Fighting Them? | The Riley Gaines Show
Caitlin Clark and Sophie Cunningham are giving the WNBA exactly what every league says it wants: attention, rivalry, ratings, personality, memes, and real fan emotion. So why does the league keep looking uncomfortable with the very energy that is making people watch? On this episode of The Riley Gaines Show, Riley breaks down Clark’s return to elite form, the Fever’s surge, the technical foul controversy, and Sophie Cunningham pushing back on the “enforcer” label. This is not about painting Caitlin Clark as a victim. It is about a bigger question for women’s sports: can the WNBA embrace stars who are intense, competitive, physical, marketable, and unapologetically themselves? From officiating debates to viral moments the league seems hesitant to monetize, Riley argues that women’s sports do not grow by sanitizing rivalry. They grow when athletes are allowed to have edge, personality, loyalty, toughness, and a point of view.
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We are switching it up and going away from the diamond today and back to an area that has had plenty of attention in the news lately — the WNBA. I wouldn’t say anything the league is in the news for is exactly good, but that’s how it works with the W. Just can’t seem to get out of its own way. The WNBA needs a marketing team, a new commissioner, and maybe some people with brains. I’m going to use my brain for betting this game between the Liberty and Mercury.
The New York Liberty came into the season as favorites to win the WNBA Championship, and despite their record being just 16-13, I’m not sure you can count them out. They did win the Commissioner’s Cup, which is a similar concept to the NBA Play-In Tournament. The bad news for New York is that only one team in the four-year history has won the WNBA Championship while winning the Commissioner’s Cup the same season. The issue isn’t talent for the Liberty; there is plenty of that. So, what is causing them to be average?
New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu fights for control of the ball with Dallas Wings guard Azzi Fudd during the first half of a WNBA game Tuesday in New York. (Yuki Iwamura/AP)
One factor is that the league is better. I know most people will think that it is solely the result of Caitlin Clark coming to the league, but the reality is there have been a lot of talented players coming in the past few seasons. The other major factor is that the team hasn’t had its full team for the full year. Sabrina Ionescu has been in only 17 games. Satou Sabally has played in only 13. And overall, the Liberty have had 11 players play in 10+ games and average at least 13 minutes. That’s a lot of mixing and matching for a club.
The Phoenix Mercury made it to the Finals last season before losing to the Aces. Now, they are struggling to even make it to the postseason this year. The team got off to a horrible start, opening the year 2-8, then went to 4-12. The Mercury have had three losing streaks this season of at least four games. They are playing better basketball right now, but why are they falling apart this season? It is a bit hard to tell why they are struggling aside from the improved rosters around the league.
Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) reacts during the second half against the Indiana Fever at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 9, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Kahleah Copper is still on the team, and she is still elite, averaging 20.7 points per game. I think part of the remaining issue for the Mercury is they don’t have a ton of help around the rest of the roster. They have only three people averaging 10 or more points per game. Sure, they have another three that are averaging nine or more, but still this team just seems like they are missing more than one go-to scorer at the moment. It probably doesn’t help that Sabally, their leading scorer from last season, is now on the Liberty.
Sabally is out once again, so the Mercury at least don’t need to worry about her. However, there shouldn’t be a major lack of scoring. These teams are allowing a lot of points each game. The Liberty are allowing 87.6 points per game, and the Mercury are allowing 86.6. Combined, that puts them at 174.2 points allowed.
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WNBA PLAYER WHO BATTERED CAITLIN CLARK ELBOWS ANOTHER FEVER STAR IN THE FACE, BUT THERE’S A CATCH
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart reacts to a call in the third quarter against the Dallas Wings at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images)
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They actually match up pretty well considering how many big names are out there. The Mercury are physical, and the Liberty are a bit of a mixture. They have plenty of people who can shoot, and they’d probably prefer to do that against Phoenix. Shooting, as you’re probably aware, is very streaky. I’m going to back the under for the game.
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