Rounding up the latest WNBA headlines ahead of the 2026 regular season

The GIST: The WNBA regular season tips off on Friday, but this league never sleeps. From a bona fide legend retiring to more wheeling and dealing as rosters are finalized, here’s the latest from the hardwood.

👏 Tina Charles hangs up her sneakers: There’s simply no room left in the 14-year veteran’s trophy case. Though playoff glory remained elusive, the former No. 1 draft pick earned the highest of individual accolades: Charles’ résumé includes a 2012 WNBA MVP, nine All-WNBA honors, and two scoring titles. She retires as the league’s all-time leading rebounder and its second leading scorer.

📋 Rounding up the rest of the headlines:

• ✍️ Defensive juggernaut Natasha Cloud signed a $555K deal with the Chicago Sky on Monday, before the Sky waived Hailey Van Lith later that day. Expect more moves across the league with each team’s finalized 12-player roster due tomorrow night.

• ❤️‍🩹 The NY Liberty will be without injured superstar Sabrina Ionescu for Friday’s season opener, while the Golden State Valkyries’ Kate Martin hopes to be in action as she works to rehab a strained quad.

• 💸 Speaking of the Valkyries, newly released valuations set the Bay Area team at $1B (yes, billion), making them the first women’s sports franchise to reach the mark. This is Ballhalla.