WNBA releases 2024 schedule, Phoenix Mercury open season at Las Vegas Aces

The WNBA released its schedule for the 2024 season on Monday. The Phoenix Mercury are playing the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces on opening night on May 14 at 7 p.m.

The Mercury’s home opener will be on May 18 at 7 p.m. against the Atlanta Dream.

Each of the 12 teams in the league will play 40 games during the regular season for the second year in a row. This season will also feature a break, for the WNBA All-Star Game and the Summer Olympics in Paris, from July 18 to Aug. 14. This will be the last year the WNBA has 12 teams, with Golden State set to begin play in 2025.

When is the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup?

The Commissioner’s Cup will take place between June 1-13, with each team playing its five conference opponents once. Commissioner’s Cup games will count toward regular season records, and the two teams from each conference with the best record in those five games will play for the championship and a $500,000 prize pool.

When is 2024 WNBA All-Star weekend?

The WNBA All-Star Game is scheduled for July 20 at Footprint Center in Phoenix. This will be the third time Phoenix has hosted the WNBA All-Star game after 2000 and 2014. The last time an All-Star game was held in an Olympic year, the U.S. national team played against the WNBA All-Stars.

When will Caitlin Clark play in Phoenix?

The Indiana Fever, who own the No. 1 overall pick for the second year in a row, visit the Mercury at Footprint Center on June 30 at noon. The Mercury will later travel to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on July 12 and Aug. 16. Indiana is expected to take Iowa point guard Caitlin Clark with the first overall pick.

When do the Las Vegas Aces play in Phoenix?

The two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces will play in Phoenix on June 13 at 7 p.m. and later on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. The second matchup with the Aces will be during the Mercury’s five-game homestand from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5, which is the Mercury’s longest home stretch since 2018.

When do the New York Liberty come to town?

Former Mercury coach Sandy Brondello and last year’s runner-up New York Liberty led by Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu visit Phoenix on June 18 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 26 at 7 p.m.

Phoenix Mercury full 2024 WNBA schedule

• Tuesday, May 14: at Las Vegas Aces, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 18: vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 21: at Las Vegas Aces, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, May 23: vs. Washington Mystics, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, May 25: vs. Dallas Wings, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 28: at Connecticut Sun, 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 29: at New York Liberty, 4 p.m.
• Friday, May 31: at Minnesota Lynx, 6:30 p.m.
• Sunday, June 2: vs. Los Angeles Sparks, 6 p.m. (Commissioner’s Cup)
• Tuesday, June 4: at Seattle Storm, 7 p.m. (Commissioner’s Cup)
• Friday, June 7: vs. Minnesota Lynx, 7 p.m. (Commissioner’s Cup)
• Sunday, June 9: at Dallas Wings, 1 p.m. (Commissioner’s Cup)
• Thursday, June 13: vs. Las Vegas Aces, 7 p.m. (Commissioner’s Cup)
• Saturday, June 15: vs. Seattle Storm, 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, June 18: vs. New York Liberty, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, June 22: at Minnesota Lynx, 5 p.m.
• Friday, June 28: vs. Los Angeles Sparks, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, June 30: vs. Indiana Fever, noon
• Monday, July 1: vs. Connecticut Sun, 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 3: at Dallas Wings, 5 p.m.
• Sunday, July 7: at Los Angeles Sparks, 4 p.m.
• Sunday, July 10: vs. Dallas Wings, 12:30 p.m.
• Thursday, July 12: at Indiana Fever, 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, July 14: at Connecticut Sun, 10 a.m.
• Tuesday, July 16: at Washington Mystics, 8:30 p.m.
• Thursday, August 15: at Chicago Sky, 5 p.m.
• Friday, August 16: at Indiana Fever, 4:30 p.m.
• Sunday, August 18: vs. Chicago Sky, 6 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 21: at Atlanta Dream, 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, August 23: at Atlanta Dream, 4:30 p.m.
• Monday, August 26: vs. New York Liberty, 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 28: vs. Minnesota Lynx, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, September 1: vs. Las Vegas Aces, 6 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 3: vs. Atlanta Dream, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, September 5: vs. Washington Mystics, 7 p.m.
• Saturday, September 7: at Seattle Storm, 6 p.m.
• Friday, September 13: at vs. Connecticut Sun, 7 p.m.
• Sunday, September 15: at Chicago Sky, 3 p.m.
• Tuesday, September 17: at Los Angeles Sparks, 7 p.m.
• Thursday, September 19: vs. Seattle Storm, 6 p.m.

When does WNBA free agency begin?

Teams can begin negotiating with free agents on Jan. 21. On Feb. 1, players can sign new contracts. All-star guard Skylar Diggins-Smith is an unrestricted free agent but is unlikely to return to Phoenix. Diggins-Smith led the Mercury in minutes (34.0), points (19.7) and assists (5.5) per game in 2022 but hasn’t played for the team since Aug. 4, 2022, and missed the entirety of last season.

When is the 2024 WNBA Draft?

The 2024 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 15. The Mercury own the No. 3 overall pick after having missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

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