Definition:
The 2023 WNBA season refers to the 27th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), a professional basketball league for women in the United States. It featured 12 teams competing in a regular season followed by a playoff tournament to determine the league champion.
Overview:
The 2023 WNBA season began on May 19, 2023, and concluded on September 19, 2023. The regular season consisted of a 40-game schedule for each team, an increase from prior years due to the introduction of a new collective bargaining agreement and expanded league operations. The postseason included eight teams, with the top two seeds in each conference receiving a direct bye into the semifinals. The Las Vegas Aces entered the season as defending champions, having won the 2022 WNBA Finals.
The Las Vegas Aces successfully defended their title, defeating the New York Liberty in the 2023 WNBA Finals in four games (3–1), becoming the first team to win back-to-back championships since the Los Angeles Sparks in 2001–2002. A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces was named the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the 2023 season and also earned Finals MVP honors.
The 2023 season was marked by increased viewership, expanded media rights deals, and the continued rise of star players such as Breanna Stewart, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and Kaitlyn Clark, who generated significant public attention during her college career and in pre-draft events.
Etymology/Origin:
The term "2023 WNBA season" follows standard naming conventions for annual sports leagues, combining the year (2023) with the league acronym (WNBA), which stands for the Women’s National Basketball Association. The league was founded in 1996 and played its inaugural season in 1997.
Characteristics:
- Duration: May 19 – September 19, 2023 (regular season); playoffs extended into October.
- Number of Teams: 12
- Games per Team: 40 (regular season)
- Champion: Las Vegas Aces
- Finals MVP: A'ja Wilson
- League MVP: A'ja Wilson
- All-Star Game: Held on July 15, 2023, at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas. The event featured the WNBA All-Stars versus the USA Basketball Women’s National Team, with Team USA emerging victorious.
- Key Initiatives: The season included efforts to expand player health and wellness programs, increased travel standards, and higher salary caps, implemented through the 2020 collective bargaining agreement.
Related Topics:
- Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA)
- Las Vegas Aces
- A'ja Wilson
- 2023 WNBA Draft
- WNBA Commissioner’s Cup
- National Basketball Association (NBA)
- Professional women's sports in the United States
- Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in the WNBA