ATLANTA — The WNBA is expanding.
According to a report from Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report, the Bhathal family — owners of the Portland Thorns — are close to finalizing terms to bring a team to Portland. The expectation is that the team will begin play in 2026.
The announcement was moved from Sept. 10 to the 18th according to Highkin’s reporting. Tuesday morning, the league shared a cryptic post on X that appeared to confirm the league’s plans to announce another expansion team.
“You know what’s better than 14 teams?”
The question shared on the WNBA’s X account received a slew of feedback. Some fans suggested Philadelphia as the next landing spot for a WNBA team. Others took the opportunity to express displeasure with the league’s salary cap limitations.
A team in Portland brings the league’s total to 15, following the announcement of the Golden State Valkyries — beginning play in 2025 — and a Toronto Team which will tipoff it’s inaugural season in 2026. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has expressed confidence that she’d like 16 teams to be operating by 2028.
Engelbert has mentioned more than once that she’s been in talks with cities like Philadelphia, Nashville and South Florida.
The resurrection of the defunct four-time WNBA champion Houston Comets is a scenario that continues to garner support from players, coaches and fans.
“That’s a franchise that’s done something no other team has ever done,” Sky coach Teresa Weatherspoon said. “It’s hard to do what they did in the fashion that they did it. That needs to be acknowledged, recognized and never forgotten.
It was great what they’ve done for the game of basketball and it would be great if someone decided to bring [the WNBA] back to Houston.”
The Comets won the WNBA’s first four WNBA titles from 1997-2000, beating Weatherspoon’s Liberty in three (1997, 1999 and 2000).
Expansion draft rules are expected to be announced before the draft lottery in December. The Dream, who began play in 2008, are the league’s most recent expansion team. Each of the 13 other teams at the time were allowed to protect up to six players. Atlanta was then allowed to select one unprotected player from each team. The Dream were also given the fourth pick in each round of the 2008 WNBA draft.
“The story every year as we get to the season is: ‘I can’t believe so and so didn’t make a team,’” Sky forward Isabelle Harrison said. “It’s not because of the talent. It’s because there aren’t enough spots. I don’t want to live in a league like that anymore.”
Draft Lottery
Paige Bueckers is the heavy favorite to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft. The Sparks — regardless of what two teams between the Sky, Dream and Mystics join them in the lottery — will have the best odds of landing Bueckers.
Odds for WNBA draft lottery are determined by teams cumulative record over the previous two seasons.
Here are the way too early predictions for the 2025 WNBA lottery picks beyond Bueckers:
No. 2: Kiki Iriafen
Standford, 6-3 forward
19.4 points, 11 rebounds and 2.3 assists
No. 3: Olivia Miles
Notre Dame, 5-10 guard
13.6 points, 6.8 assists and 6.2 rebounds
No. 4: Dominque Malonga
France, 6-6 center
11.9 points, 8.9 rebounds
Other potential lottery picks include LSU forward Annesah Morrow and UConn guard Azzi Fudd.