As Connecticut Sun prepares for its 2026 farewell before Houston relocation, we break down every franchise's journey in the W.
The WNBA landscape is shifting once again as the Connecticut Sun announced plans to relocate to Houston after the 2026 season, marking another chapter in the league's evolving franchise history. This move highlights how the W has transformed since its inaugural 1997 season, when eight founding teams tipped off a revolution in women's professional basketball.
The original eight franchises – New York Liberty, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, Houston Comets, Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Sacramento Monarchs, and Utah Starzz – laid the foundation for today's 12-team powerhouse league. Many of these pioneering clubs have since relocated or folded, with only the Liberty, Sparks, Mercury, and Sun (originally the Starzz before moving to Connecticut in 1999) remaining from that historic first season.
Expansion waves brought fresh energy to the league, with teams like the Seattle Storm (2000), Indiana Fever (2000), and Las Vegas Aces (2018, relocated from San Antonio) establishing themselves as championship contenders. The W has increasingly become a global stage for African talent, with stars like Nigeria's Nneka Ogwumike dominating for the Sparks and South Sudan's Awak Kuier making her mark with the Dallas Wings.
As the league eyes further expansion with the Connecticut-to-Houston move representing growing market demand, the WNBA's franchise evolution reflects basketball's expanding global footprint. From those eight brave founding teams to today's international roster of talent, the W continues rewriting the playbook for women's professional sports worldwide.
