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2025 WNBA Free Agency Tracker: Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas Among Star Players To Receive Core Designation

The 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery is complete, and so too is the Golden State Valkyries' expansion draft, which means it's officially time to move on to the next major part of the offseason: free agency. This year's class is once again filled with a number of stars, though a number of the biggest names, including Breanna Stewart, Alyssa Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kelsey Plum have already been cored by their respective teams.

Here are the key dates to know for free agency:

Jan. 11-20: Teams can make qualifying offers and "Core" player designations

Jan. 21: Teams can begin negotiating with free agents, but no deals can be signed

Feb. 1: Players can officially sign contracts and offer sheets

Here are the various types of free agents to know:

Unrestricted free agent: Can talk to and sign with any team

Restricted free agent: Can talk to and sign with any team, but their previous team has the right to match any offer they receive

Reserved free agent: Players who hit free agency with fewer than three years of service. Their previous team has exclusive negotiating rights as long as they extend a qualifying offer

Suspended -- contract expired: In rare cases, players' contracts will expire while they are suspended. Per the collective bargaining agreement, these players are found to be "withholding services." In practice, these players are treated like reserved free agents, though their previous team does not need to extend a qualifying offer

Ahead of all the action, here is a look at this year's free agent class:

Core players

Kelsey Mitchell

Indiana Fever

Guard

Cored

Kelsey Plum

Las Vegas Aces

Guard

Cored

Satou Sabally

Dallas Wings

Forward

Cored

Breanna Stewart New York Liberty Forward Cored Alyssa Thomas Connecticut Sun Forward Cored

Gabby Williams

Seattle Storm

Forward

Cored

Unrestricted free agents Restricted free agents Reserved players

Amy Atwell

Phoenix Mercury

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Caitlin Bickle

Connecticut Sun

Forward

Qualifying offer extended

Jaelyn Brown

Dallas Wings

Guard

Signed training camp contract

Veronica Burton

Golden State Valkyries

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Maya Caldwell

Atlanta Dream

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Lorela Cubaj

Atlanta Dream

Forward

Qualifying offer extended

Ivana Dojkic

New York Liberty

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Queen Egbo

Las Vegas Aces

Center

Unsigned

Emily Engstler

Washington Mystics

Forward

Qualifying offer extended

Olivia Epoupa

Minnesota Lynx

Guard

Unsigned

Rebekah Gardner

New York Liberty

Forward

Signed training camp contract

Bernadett Hatar

Washington Mystics

Center

Qualifying offer extended

Mikiah Herbert Harrigan

Phoenix Mercury

Forward

Qualifying offer extended

Marine Johannes

New York Liberty

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Li Meng

Washington Mystics

Guard

Unsigned

Li Yueru

Los Angeles Sparks

Center

Unsigned

Natasha Mack

Phoenix Mercury

Center

Signed training camp contract

Nikolina Milic

Chicago Sky

Forward

Qualifying offer extended

Charisma Osborne

Phoenix Mercury

Guard

Unsigned

Jaylyn Sherrod

New York Liberty

Guard

Signed training camp contract

Sug Sutton

Washington Mystics

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Celeste Taylor

Phoenix Mercury

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Sevgi Uzun

Dallas Wings

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Julie Vanloo

Golden State Valkyries

Guard

Qualifying offer extended

Cecilia Zandalasini

Golden State Valkyries

Forward

Qualifying offer extended

Suspended -- contract expired

Maria Conde

Golden State Valkyries

Forward

Unsigned

Han Xu

New York Liberty

Center

Unsigned

Awak Kuier

Dallas Wings

Forward

Unsigned

Jessica Shepard

Minnesota Lynx

Forward

Unsigned

Iliana Rupert

Golden State Valkyries

Center

Unsigned

Unrivaled Basketball League Debuts With Breanna Stewart And Brittney Griner During WNBA Offseason

Unrivaled, the U.S. Basketball league co-founded by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, is ready for its closeup.

The new 3-on-3 women's basketball league will debut Friday night, a couple of years after the idea of starting a domestic league to bolster athletes' salaries during the WNBA's offseason without them having to go overseas.

"Because a lot of players probably my age and a little bit older are so accustomed to going overseas," Stewart told CBS News. "And now it's like, no, you play WNBA. You come to Unrivaled and we're gonna take care of you. We're gonna pay you. We're gonna make sure you continue to build your brand.

Both Collier and Stewart have played for teams overseas: Collier in France and Stewart in Turkey.

What is Unrivaled basketball?

Unrivaled is a new 3-on-3 women's professional basketball league where six teams, with each six players on each squad, compete for the title.

The league will feature 36 WNBA players, including the two co-founders, whose teams will play against each other on opening night. Sensational WNBA rookie Angel Reese's team plays in the second contest. Other WNBA stars fans can see include Sabrina Ionescu, Satou Sabally, Alyssa Thomas and Arike Ogunbowale.

"I think I'll be taking it all in in the introductions," Collier said. "Once the ball goes up, it's just the game."

The games will be played on a court that's about 20 feet shorter than the WNBA court.

Rose player Angel Reese speaks following a practice session, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Medley, Florida, as the new 3-on-3 women's basketball league Unrivaled tips off this weekend. Marta Lavandier / AP Unrivaled basketball rules

There will be three seven-minute quarters and a fourth quarter that isn't timed. Teams will play to a "winning score" which will be determined by adding 11 points to the squad which is leading after three quarters. For example: If Team X is leading 60-55 after three quarters, the first team to 71 would win the game.

"Every game, we will have a game-winning shot," Unrivaled President Alex Bazzell said. "That was important for us because coming out of the third quarter, there's no mysteries of what you need to do."

There will only be one free throw taken when players commit shooting fouls with the value of it equal to the shot. That means if a player is fouled shooting a 3-pointer, a made free throw will count for three points. A free throw after being fouled on a two-point attempt is worth two points and any and-1 situation is worth one point.

There will be an 18-second shot clock instead of 24 seconds that the players use in the WNBA. The clock will stop on made baskets in the final 30 seconds of a quarter as opposed to the last minute used in the WNBA.

Vinyl players celebrate Rhyne Howard after a practice session, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Medley, Florida, as the new 3-on-3 women's basketball league Unrivaled tips off this weekend. Marta Lavandier / AP How much are Unrivaled athletes getting paid?

Nearly all the players are making more than $100,000. The average player salary is the highest ever for any women's sports league. There is more than $8 million in the salary pool.

Players also are getting an equity stake in the league. The league is also holding a 1-on-1 tournament in February and the winner will be paid $250,000. Each player on the winner's Unrivaled team will also receive $10,000.

Same as WNBA games, players took part in a half-court shootout after their morning practices. Shakira Austin made the first one and earned $100 for her efforts. She went last as the youngest player on the Lunar Owls and had the advantage of knowing that the shorter court meant a closer shot.

"It's a great start to the day," Austin said.

While the halfcourt money is the same, players are making a lot more as the league boasts the highest average salary for a professional women's league.

How to watch Unrivaled

The season runs from Friday to March 17 with games played mostly on Friday, Saturday and Monday. There will be two games a night shown on TNT or TruTv. Former WNBA star and basketball analyst Candace Parker will anchor a studio show during the broadcasts.

"I can't even put it into words what it's going to be like," Stewart said. "But just the fact that there's so much hype, there's so much content, so much chatter about opening night and we worked really hard to get to this point both on and off the court. Excited to kind of just go in and showcase what we've done."

When is the WNBA season?

The WNBA draft is on April 14, according to the league.

The regular WNBA season begins May 16, two months after Unrivaled's final games. Three games kick off the new season: Washington Mystics vs. Atlanta Dream, Dallas Wings vs. Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries vs. Los Angeles Sparks.

Last season, WNBA star Stewart made history with the New York Liberty helping the team end its 27-year quest and win its first championship title. It was a record-breaking season for women's basketball, including single-game attendance records and all-time records for digital consumption and merchandise sales, according to the league.

The 2025 season is already setting records before it even begins with each team playing a record-high of 44 games, the league said.

2025 WNBA Mock Draft: Paige Bueckers To Dallas Wings Is Certain As Satou Sabally Exits, Kiki Iriafen To Valkyries

With the college basketball season in full swing and entering conference play, we're learning more about the possible WNBA draft order later this year. It's time for another WNBA mock draft, this time with more knowledge of the prospects and WNBA trends. As per usual, the mock will feature a blend of my own opinions with consensus projections.

1. Dallas Wings - Paige Bueckers, G, UConn

With news breaking of Satou Sabally's desire to leave the Wings, more opportunities will open up for Paige Bueckers to slot in. As Dallas looks to rebuild and return to contention, they'll likely hand over the keys to whoever they draft at the top. The UConn star still seems like the most plausible bet to pair with Arike Ogunbowale.

It's easy to argue for Bueckers as the best player in all of college basketball, dominating opponents as she tends to do. Sarah Strong's presence means she doesn't have to carry the scoring load as often, but she's still capable of filling up the stat sheet on both ends of the floor.

At the WNBA level, Bueckers projects as a true primary initiator with the off-dribble shooting, interior scoring and passing to run an excellent offense. Her off-ball skills and defensive ability will let her pair with other potent offensive stars like Ogunbowale and whoever the Wings acquire in the near future.

2. Los Angeles Sparks - Olivia Miles, G, Notre Dame

Miles' play has vaulted her up draft boards, putting her in consideration for the top slot. She still has one more year of eligibility but will likely enter her name in the draft at this current pace. Her improved jump shooting makes her a complete guard prospect, as most people enter the league.

Alongside her shooting, Miles boasts nearly every trait a team would covet in a future star lead guard. Her elite first-step burst, playmaking flair, efficient scoring and defensive production are all encouraging indicators. She's comfortable playing next to other high-level perimeter players, which will help her translate to the pros.

After drafting Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson last season, the Sparks still need a true lead guard to complete their promising young core. Miles could be just that player if everything breaks right.

3. Chicago Sky - Sonia Citron, G, Notre Dame

The Sky land in a tricky spot picking third given their team needs. They spent two first-round picks on non-shooting centers last season, making it challenging to draft a player like Kiki Iriafen or Dominique Malonga. In this mock draft, they'll add Sonia Citron, who might lack the upside of some others in this draft but makes up for it with her high complementary potential.

Citron is an excellent off-ball shooter, connective passer and defender, making her an ideal fit next to other ball-dominant stars. She's accustomed to playing next to Miles and Hannah Hidalgo at Notre Dame and won't struggle to scale down at the next level.

Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso would benefit greatly from a guard with Citron's floor spacing and passing ability. She might not be the flashiest prospect of all time, but her scalable skills will boost Chicago's existing talent more than any other choice.

4. Washington Mystics - Dominique Malonga, C, ASVEL

The Mystics will be thrilled to land a prospect with a ceiling as high as Dominique Malonga. The 6'6, 19-year-old big sports incredible upside, especially on the defensive end of the floor. She's averaging 14.7 points, 9 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1 steal per game in the French League this year, proving her ability to impact winning at such a young age.

Malonga's physical tools make her a possible defensive anchor big at the next level with the potential to thrive on offense as an unstoppable play-finisher and interior scorer. Washington will have to wait for Malonga to come over to the States, but her upside is well worth the risk at this point in the draft.

5. Golden State Valkyries - Kiki Iriafen, F, USC

Iriafen's slide in the draft will only benefit the Valkyries, who add a possible star to their fledgling roster. Because of positional fits and slightly decreased production, Iriafen could fall out of the top three picks where she's been projected for so long. She's still an excellent player, though, who boasts impressive two-way upside as an interior scorer and versatile defender.

Golden State will need a primary scorer to jumpstart their offense and Iriafen will be just that. The Valkyries can play through her in the mid-post and low block with shooters like Kate Martin and Cecilia Zandalesini spacing the floor. It's possible this pick ends up looking like a monumental steal in a few seasons if Iriafen hits her ceiling.

6. Washington Mystics (via ATL) - Azzi Fudd, G, UConn

Fudd has played well for the Huskies in her return from injury, providing the shooting, secondary creation and defense she always did. She's played at least 20 minutes per game over her last four contest, notching a season-high 23 points against Xavier. Fudd has always been a shooter, capable of knocking down jumpers inside and outside the arc.

After drafting a high upside big in Malonga earlier, it will make sense for the Mystics to add a talented guard prospect next to her and Aaliyah Edwards. She'll need to remain healthy in the WNBA, but her role versatile offensive skillset and defensive playmaking make her a high ceiling guard prospect at the pro level.

7. New York Liberty (via PHX) - Serena Sundell, G, Kansas State

Sundell is the NCAA's current assist leader, feeding her teammates out of the pick-and-roll and as an off-ball mover. Her versatile playmaking paired with an intriguing scoring touch, funky creation and some interior defensive chops will make her a coveted guard prospect for the next level.

She'll want to improve her 3-point jumper before she's handling on-ball responsibility in the WNBA, but the defending champs can afford to wait on her development. It's wise to bet on tall, skilled high feel players like Sundell to grow into productive pros.

8. Indiana Fever - Saniya Rivers, G, NC State

Indiana's lack of length and athleticism on the perimeter limited them in the playoffs and will be key for their long-term future. Rivers is one of the best athletes in all of college basketball, manifesting especially on the defensive end. She generates tons of turnovers, jumping passing lanes and rotating to protect the basket.

She'll need to improve as a shooter and a scorer overall, but she'll see more easy shots in Indiana than she ever has before. Rivers' athleticism and speed will help her dominate in the open floor alongside Caitlin Clark's passing brilliance. Rivers' upside creating with the ball in her hands makes her too tantalizing a prospect to pass on here.

9. Seattle Storm - Georgia Amoore, G, Kentucky

Jewell Loyd won't be a member of the Storm next season, opening up slots in the backcourt. Amoore is one of college basketball's best creators, shooting a high volume of off-dribble threes and creating tons of opportunities for herself and her teammates to score all over the court. With better teammates at the pro level, her overall efficiency should improve.

Amoore's size at just 5'6 could limit her as a driver and a defender, but Seattle's strong defensive roster will help her acclimate. The likes of Ezi Magbegor and Nneka Ogwumike will theoretically pair smoothly with a dynamic offensive guard like Amoore.

10. Chicago Sky (via CON) - Shyanne Sellers, F, Maryland

The Sky can afford to draft a shakier shooter because of their selection of Citron in the top three, and Sellers' talent exceeds this draft slot. She's not a consistent volume shooter yet, but Sellers' upside as a creator in the intermediate and as a playmaker could lend to eventual offensive stardom.

Chicago needs more offensive talent and creation on the perimeter and Sellers brings potential to be just that. If she can develop a passable 3-point jumper, it's easy to imagine Sellers developing into an excellent two-way wing creator for the Sky.

11. Minnesota Lynx - Jordan Hobbs, F, Michigan

Losing Zandalesini could lead the Lynx to draft another shooter and that's exactly what Jordan Hobbs brings. At 6'3, Hobbs' ability to shoot off of movement from well beyond the college line is rare and projects favorably to the WNBA level. Her shooting and size alone make her an intriguing pro prospect and her feel for the game accentuates this.

Hobbs is a fairly limited athlete and defender, but she won't be asked to do much on a stacked Lynx team. As long as she can space the floor for Napheesa Collier, move the ball and compete on defense, she could develop into a solid WNBA role player.

12. Phoenix Mercury - Rori Harmon, G, Texas

Harmon's size at just 5'6 as a weak 3-point shooter make her translation murky, but she's an undeniable talent. She's an exceptional defensive player (5.4% steal rate), plucking loose handles and creating chaos for opposing offenses.

Even without a reliable jumper, Harmon's incredible quickness, advantage creation and volume passing make her an interesting upside bet on the offensive end of the floor. An aging Phoenix team will benefit from any possible infusion of young talent and Harmon will add that critical juice on both ends of the floor.

Full First Round for 2025 WNBA Mock Draft Projected pick Player Team 1 Paige Bueckers Dallas Wings 2 Olivia Miles Chicago Sky 3 Sonia Citron Los Angeles Sparks 4 Dominique Malonga Washington Mystics 5 Kiki Iriafen Golden State Valkyrires 6 Azzi Fudd Washington Mystics via ATL 7 Serena Sundell New York Liberty via PHX 8 Saniya Rivers Indiana Fever 9 Georgia Amoore Seattle Storm 10 Shaynne Sellers Chicago Sky via CON 11 Jordan Hobbs Minnesota Lynx 12 Rori Harmon Phoenix Mercury

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Edited by Jeet Pukhrambam

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