The 2021 WNBA season was the 25th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Seattle Storm were the defending champions. In the playoffs, the Chicago Sky won in four games over the Phoenix Mercury. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teams played a 32-game season (rather than the 36 games agreed to in the original 2020 season schedule) that included mini two-game series to reduce travel. The regular season ran from May 14 to September 19, with a break from July 12 to August 11 for the Olympic Games.
This season also marked the launch of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup, which had been intended to start in the 2020 season but was delayed due to COVID-19. The first home game and first away game for each team against each of its conference opponents doubled as Cup games; all such games were played before the league took its Olympic break. The Cup final, officially called the Commissioner's Cup Championship Game, featured the conference leaders in the Cup standings and was held on August 12, three days before the rest of the league resumed play, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. A prize pool of $500,000 was provided for the Cup, with players on the winning team guaranteed a minimum bonus of $30,000 and those of the losing team guaranteed $10,000, and the championship game MVP receiving an extra $5,000. The Seattle Storm defeated the Connecticut Sun 79-57 to win the inaugural cup. Breanna Stewart was named MVP of the game.
The season had 100 games broadcast on national networks, including 25 across ABC and ESPN networks, 40 on CBS networks, and 35 on NBA TV. The remainder of games were broadcast on local networks and the WNBA's League Pass service; several games were also streamed on Twitter, Amazon Prime, and Oculus.
This season saw Wilson take over as the league's ball supplier. Spalding previously held the contract for the league's first 24 seasons.
Draft
The New York Liberty won the first pick in the 2021 WNBA draft in the draft lottery, but the pick was later traded to the Dallas Wings who picked Charli Collier.
Transactions
Retirement On February 8, 2021, Crystal Langhorne announced her retirement after thirteen seasons of playing in the WNBA. She won the 2018 and 2020 WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm. Langhorne was a two-time All-Star and won the Most Improved Player Award in 2009. She announced her retirement to become the Storm's Director of Community Engagement. On February 9, 2021, Renee Montgomery announced her retirement after eleven seasons of playing in the WNBA. She won the 2015 and 2017 WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx. Montgomery won the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2012 and was a two-time All-Star. On March 8, 2021, LaToya Sanders announced her retirement after nine seasons playing in the WNBA. She won the 2019 WNBA title with the Washington Mystics. On March 15, 2021, Morgan Tuck announced her retirement after five seasons playing in the WNBA. She won the 2020 WNBA title with the Seattle Storm. On May 13, 2021, Seimone Augustus announced her retirement after fifteen seasons playing in the WNBA. She was a four time WNBA Champion, eight time WNBA All-Star, one time WNBA Finals MVP, and she won WNBA Rookie of the Year in her rookie season. In addition to her decorated WNBA career she spent time playing overseas in Russia and Turkey, where she won the EuroCup twice and Turkish Cup once. Augustus joined the Los Angeles Sparks coaching staff.
Free agency Free agency negotiations started on January 15, 2021, and the signing period began on February 1, 2021.
Coaching changes Off-seasonTeam2020 season2021 seasonReferenceDallas WingsBrian AglerVickie Johnson Atlanta Dream Nicki Collen Mike Petersen (interim) +Mid-seasonTeamDeparting CoachNew CoachReference Seattle Storm Dan Hughes Noelle Quinn Atlanta Dream Mike Petersen (interim) Darius Taylor (interim)
Regular season
All-Star Game
Standings
Schedule
| Thursday, April 15 | 7:00 p.m. | colspan=3| 2021 WNBA draft | colspan=6| USA: ESPNCanada: TSN2 | Virtually |- | Saturday, May 1 | 3:00 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx | @ | Atlanta Dream | N/A | 61–69 | Tied (12) | Billings (7) | C. Williams (5) | Tied (2) | Gateway Center Arena |- | Sunday, May 2 | 3:00 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks | @ | Las Vegas Aces | N/A | 80–71 | colspan=4 | Scrimmage | Michelob Ultra Arena |- | Wednesday, May 5 | 7:00 p.m. | Atlanta Dream | @ | Washington Mystics | N/A | 87–80 | T. Charles (18) | Alleyne (12) | Cloud (3) | 5 tied (1) | Entertainment and Sports Arena |- | rowspan=4 | Saturday, May 8 | 12:00 p.m. | Connecticut Sun | @ | Dallas Wings | N/A | 89–76 | B. Jones (22) | C. Collier (10) | Goodman (5) | Tied (2) | College Park Center |- | 2:00 p.m. | Washington Mystics | @ | Minnesota Lynx | N/A | 68–78 | Banham (23) | Shepard (10) | Achonwa (5) | Alleyne (3) | Target Center |- | 4:00 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces | @ | Los Angeles Sparks | N/A | 85–85 | Walker (23) | Tied (9) | Tied (5) | Tied (3) | Los Angeles Convention Center |- | 6:00 p.m. | Seattle Storm | @ | Phoenix Mercury | N/A | 88–71 | Magbegor (17) | A. Smith (8) | Canada (6) | Magbegor (3) | Phoenix Suns Arena1,985 |- | Sunday, May 9 | 1:00 p.m. | Chicago Sky | @ | Indiana Fever | N/A | 65–82 | Tied (16) | McCwoan (12) | T. Mitchell (4) | 4 tied (1) | Bankers Life Fieldhouse |- | Tuesday, May 11 | 4:30 p.m. | Indiana Fever | @ | Chicago Sky | N/A | 70–83 | Vivians (15) | Tied (6) | Boyd-Jones (5) | 4 tied (1) | Wintrust Arena
! colspan=2 style="background:#094480; color:white" | 2021 WNBA regular season
| rowspan=5 | Friday, May 14 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:00 p.m. | Indiana Fever | @ | New York Liberty | USA: NBA TV, YESCanada: SN1 | 87–90 | Laney (30) | McCowan (16) | Ionescu (11) | McCowan (2) | Barclays Center1,139 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:30 p.m. | Connecticut Sun | @ | Atlanta Dream | Twitter | 78–67 | J. Jones (26) | Tied (8) | Bonner (5) | Billings (4) | Gateway Center Arena561 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 9:00 p.m. | Phoenix Mercury | @ | Minnesota Lynx | CBSSN | 77–55 | Tied (18) | Griner (12) | Tied (5) | 3 Tied (3) | Target Center2,021 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 10:30 p.m. | Dallas Wings | @ | Los Angeles Sparks | Facebook | 94–71 | A. Gray (23) | Thornton (11) | Harris (7) | Coffey (2) | Los Angeles Convention CenterNo Fans |- | rowspan=3 | Saturday, May 15 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 1:00 p.m. | Chicago Sky | @ | Washington Mystics | USA: ABCCanada: TSN5 | 70–56 | Copper (19) | Tied (8) | DeShields (5) | Parker (3) | Entertainment and Sports Arena1,050 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 3:00 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces | @ | Seattle Storm | USA: ABCCanada: SN1 | 83–97 | Stewart (28) | Stewart (13) | Bird (8) | Tied (2) | Angel of the Winds Arena1,031 |- | rowspan=3 | Sunday, May 16 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 2:00 p.m. | New York Liberty | @ | Indiana Fever | CBSSN | 73–65 | Laney (20) | Lavender (15) | Robinson (5) | Tied (2) | Bankers Life FieldhouseNo Fans |- | 7:00 p.m. | Phoenix Mercury | @ | Connecticut Sun | CBSSN | 78–86 | Bonner (27) | J. Jones (13) | January (6) | Griner (4) | Mohegan Sun Arena2,042 |- | rowspan=3 | Tuesday, May 18 | 7:00 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx | @ | New York Liberty | ESPN3 | 75–86 | Tied (26) | Fowles (11) | Ionescu (12) | Powers (2) | Barclays Center815 |- | 8:00 p.m. | Phoenix Mercury | @ | Washington Mystics | USA: ESPN2Canada: TSN5 | 91–70 | T. Charles (22) | Turner (14) | L. Mitchell (7) | Tied (2) | Entertainment and Sports Arena1,050 |- | 10:00 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces | @ | Seattle Storm | USA: ESPN2Canada: TSN5 | 96–80 | Stewart (26) | Magbegor (13) | C. Gray (7) | Tied (3) | Angel of the Winds Arena1,001 |- | rowspan=3 | Wednesday, May 19 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:00 p.m. | Chicago Sky | @ | Atlanta Dream | Facebook, WCIU | 85–77 | C. Williams (24) | Ndour (11) | Vandersloot (8) | 3 tied (3) | Gateway Center Arena689 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:00 p.m. | Indiana Fever | @ | Connecticut Sun | CBSSN | 67–88 | Hiedeman (19) | J. Jones (11) | Hiedeman (6) | McCowan (3) | Mohegan Sun Arena2,084 |- | rowspan=2 | Thursday, May 20 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 8:00 p.m. | Seattle Storm | @ | Minnesota Lynx | USA: NBA TV, JoeTVCanada: TSN1/5 | 90–78 | Loyd (23) | Fowles (9) | Bird (8) | 7 tied (1) | Target Center1,934 |- | rowspan=5 | Friday, May 21 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:00 p.m. | Atlanta Dream | @ | Indiana Fever | Twitter | 83–79 | Carter (23) | Breland (16) | T. Mitchell (6) | 3 tied (2) | Bankers Life Fieldhouse |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:00 p.m. | New York Liberty | @ | Washington Mystics | USA: NBC Sports Washington, YESCanada: NBA TV Canada | 72–101 | T. Charles (34) | T. Charles (13) | Cloud (8) | Atkins (2) | Entertainment and Sports Arena |- | 10:00 p.m. | Connecticut Sun | @ | Phoenix Mercury | Facebook | 84–67 | Diggins-Smith (20) | J. Jones (11) | Bonner (5) | Griner (4) | Phoenix Suns Arena4,101 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 10:30 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks | @ | Las Vegas Aces | CBSSN, MyLVTV, Spectrum SportsNet | 69–97 | N. Ogwumike (19) | Tied (10) | C. Gray (6) | Tied (3) | Michelob Ultra Arena1,972 |- | rowspan=2 | Saturday, May 22 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 8:00 p.m. | Seattle Storm | @ | Dallas Wings | Facebook, Bally Sports Southwest Plus, JoeTV | 100–97 (OT) | Stewart (36) | Thornton (12) | Tied (6) | Stewart (5) | College Park Center1,491 |- | rowspan=4 | Sunday, May 23 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 1:00 p.m. | New York Liberty | @ | Chicago Sky | USA: ESPNCanada: NBA TV Canada | 93–85 | DeShields (22) | Hebard (10) | Vandersloot (16) | Hebard (4) | Wintrust Arena1,332 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 1:00 p.m. | Washington Mystics | @ | Indiana Fever | ESPN3 | 77–89 | T. Charles (31) | Tied (10) | Robinson (6) | Breland (2) | Bankers Life FieldhouseNo Fans |- | 6:00 p.m. | Connecticut Sun | @ | Las Vegas Aces | Facebook, MyLVTV | 72–65 | Bonner (22) | J. Jones (11) | Tied (5) | Cambage (4) | Michelob Ultra Arena1,954 |- | Monday, May 24 | 7:00 p.m. | Dallas Wings | @ | New York Liberty | USA: Twitter, YESCanada: TSN3 | 81–88 | Laney (26) | Thornton (11) | Harris (7) | 4 tied (1) | Barclays Center894 |- | rowspan=4 | Tuesday, May 25 |- | 7:00 p.m. | Washington Mystics | @ | Indiana Fever | Monumental | 85–69 | T. Charles (30) | Hines-Allen (10) | Cloud (7) | Breland (2) | Bankers Life FieldhouseNo Fans |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 8:00 p.m. | Atlanta Dream | @ | Chicago Sky | CBSSN, WCIU | 90–83 | Hayes (26) | Tied (9) | Vandersloot (6) | 3 tied (2) | Wintrust Arena1,004 |- | 10:00 p.m. | Connecticut Sun | @ | Seattle Storm | CBSSN, JoeTV, NESN+ | 87–90 (OT) | J. Jones (28) | J. Jones (13) | J. Thomas (6) | 4 tied (2) | Angel of the Winds Arena1,011 |- | rowspan=2 | Wednesday, May 26 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 10:00 p.m. | Las Vegas Aces | @ | Phoenix Mercury | CBSSN, MyLVTV | 85–79 | Tied (27) | Griner (11) | Diggins-Smith (11) | Turner (4) | Phoenix Suns Arena4,082 |- | Thursday, May 27 | 7:00 p.m. | Dallas Wings | @ | Atlanta Dream | USA: Bally Sports South, Bally Sports South PlusCanada: NBA TV Canada | 95–101 | Hayes (26) | Billings (11) | C. Williams (5) | 4 tied (1) | Gateway Center Arena711 |- | rowspan=5 | Friday, May 28 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 7:00 p.m. | Washington Mystics | @ | Connecticut Sun | Facebook | 81–86 | T. Charles (29) | J. Jones (12) | J. Jones (5) | T. Charles (3) | Mohegan Sun Arena2,102 |- | 8:00 p.m. | Los Angeles Sparks | @ | Chicago Sky | CBSSN, WCIU, Spectrum SportsNet | 76–61 | Tied (14) | Tied (9) | Tied (6) | 6 tied (1) | Wintrust Arena1,124 |-style="background:#FED8B1" | 10:00 p.m. | Minnesota Lynx | @ | Seattle Storm | CBSSN, JoeTV | 72–82 | Tied (15) | Stewart (8) | N. Collier (6) | Tied (2) | Angel of the Winds Arena1,332 |- | 10:30 p.m. | Indiana Fever | @ | Las Vegas Aces | Twitter, MyLVTV | 77–113 | Hamby (25) | McCowan (10) | C. Gray (12) | Wilson (2) | Michelob Ultra ArenaNo Fans |- | rowspan=3 | Saturday, May 29 |-style="background:#FED8B1"