2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup Preview
What is the WNBA Commissioner's Cup?
The WNBA Commissioner's Cup is an in-season tournament in its fourth year. In previous seasons, designated Commissioner's Cup games were spread out over the first half of the season, with the championship game played in late July or in August.
This season, Commissioner's Cup games all took place over a two-week stretch, from June 1 to June 13. Each of these five matchups per team counted toward regular-season records, and all teams played exclusively against teams in their own conference. The New York Liberty had the best overall record and will represent the Eastern Conference, while the Minnesota Lynx will make their first-ever appearance in a Commissioner's Cup Championship as the Western Conference representatives.
The game will be played in New York at UBS Arena at 8:00 ET on Tuesday, June 25. The winning team will be rewarded with a $500,000 prize pool, along with $120,000 in cryptocurrency that includes $5,000 for each player in the game. Additionally, teams are competing for charitable contributions that will benefit their communities.
WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship News
Both the Liberty and Lynx have hit their stride ahead of Tuesday's Commissioner's Cup Championship, with each team winning nine of their last 10 games. However, New York has played without two of its regular starters recently, as Courtney Vandersloot (personal/conditioning) has missed the last eight games, while Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (knee) has been sidelined for the last three matchups. It's not yet clear whether they'll be available Tuesday. If Vandersloot is available, she'd likely face a minutes restriction since her last few absences have been labeled as return to competition conditioning, while Laney-Hamilton's absence was described as a precautionary measure, so it's unclear what workload she would be able to handle.
The Lynx have had a much more consistent rotation recently, and Bridget Carleton has been back in action over the last two matchups after missing one game due to a sore elbow. The team should be at full strength for Tuesday's game, with the exception of Diamond Miller (knee), who has been sidelined since late May and is doubtful for the Commissioner's Cup Championship.
Players to Watch in the Commissioner's Cup Championship
The Liberty emerged as one of the league's superteams ahead of the 2023 season after acquiring Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones and Courtney Vandersloot. New York beat Las Vegas, 82-63, in last year's Commissioner's Cup Championship but fell short of a WNBA title, as the Liberty lost to the Aces in four games during the WNBA Finals. However, the team remained relatively intact prior to the 2024 campaign, and several of New York's players have hit their stride recently. Breanna Stewart, last year's MVP, has been a consistent force in recent weeks, averaging 21.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.8 blocks in 35.8 minutes per game over her last nine appearances. Sabrina Ionescu has scored at least 24 points in each of her last three outings, averaging 27.0 points, 9.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds in 34.7 minutes per game during that stretch. Jonquel Jones has also been a force in the frontcourt recently, posting double-doubles in her last two outings and averaging 21.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 33.7 minutes per game over her last seven appearances.
The Lynx narrowly qualified for the playoffs in 2023 but made several solid offseason acquisitions over the winter to help make them one of the best teams in the WNBA to begin the 2024 campaign. Napheesa Collier has remained the team's top contributor, averaging 20.9 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.4 blocks in 34.8 minutes per game over her first 16 appearances of the season. Kayla McBride also remained with the team and is averaging 16.1 points, 3.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 32.6 minutes per game to begin the year. Alanna Smith and Courtney Williams both joined the Lynx during the offseason after spending last year in Chicago, and they've emerged as reliable options with their new team. Smith is averaging 12.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.5 steals in 28.3 minutes per game to begin her time in Minnesota, while Williams is averaging 10.4 points, 5.5 assists and 5.2 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game.
2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship Injury Report
New York
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courtney Vandersloot | G | Personal | Questionable | 6/25/2024 |
| Betnijah Laney-Hamilton | G | Knee | Questionable | 6/25/2024 |
| Nyara Sabally | F | Back | OUT | 6/30/2024 |
| Rebekah Gardner | G | Achilles | OFS | 4/1/2025 |
| Kaitlyn Davis | F | Not Injury Related | OFS | 5/1/2025 |
Minnesota
| Name | Pos | Injury | Status | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Miller | G | Knee | Doubtful | 6/25/2024 |
| Jessica Shepard | C | Not Injury Related | OFS | 4/1/2025 |
Projected Starters for the Commissioner's Cup Championship
New York Liberty
- Sabrina Ionescu
- Courtney Vandersloot (Questionable, Personal/Conditioning)
- Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (Questionable, Knee)
- Breanna Stewart
- Jonquel Jones
NOTE: Kayla Thornton will likely start if Vandersloot is sidelined, and Leonie Fiebich will likely start if Laney-Hamilton is also out. If only one of Vandersloot or Laney-Hamilton are unavailable, Thornton seems like the more likely starter.
Minnesota Lynx
WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship DFS Advice
With just one game on Tuesday's slate, DraftKings is running a Showdown Captain mode, in which each lineup can designate a Captain to score 1.5x fantasy points (along with a higher corresponding salary). My favorite player for the Captain slot is Sabrina Ionescu ($14,700). She has the fourth-highest salary of any player on the slate but has scored at least 43.7 DKFPs in each of her last four appearances. The Lynx have solid defense in most areas, but I expect Ionescu's recent hot streak to continue in Tuesday's crucial matchup.
One of my top lineups I'm using for the Commissioner's Cup Championship is:
- Captain: Sabrina Ionescu ($14,700)
- Breanna Stewart ($11,400)
- Alanna Smith ($8,600)
- Kayla Thornton ($6,400)
- Leonie Fiebich ($6,000)
- Cecilia Zandalasini ($2,600)
This lineup may require some tweaking based on whether Courtney Vandersloot and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton are cleared to play, but the lineup slightly favors the favorite team in the matchup, as New York enters as 5.5-point favorites. Stewart has looked more like her MVP form recently, while Smith and Thornton have been reliable contributors. Fiebich's production has been boosted by her recent starting role, but I still expect decent results if she retreats to the bench Tuesday. Zandalasini doesn't post eye-popping numbers but usually generates some fantasy points and has close to a minimum salary.
2024 WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship Betting Odds
NOTE: A full slate of picks can be found using the RotoWire Picks and Props tool, which is now also available on the App Store and on Google Play.
Game Line: New York Liberty -5
Over/Under: 161.0
Best Player Props for the Commissioner's Cup Championship
Sabrina Ionescu Over 6.5 Assists (+104)
FanDuel Sportsbook, Monday, 4:15 p.m. CT
Jason Shebilske: Ionescu was held in check during the only other meeting between the Lynx and Liberty this season, tallying 13 points, four rebounds and an assist in 26 minutes during the blowout loss. However, I expect Tuesday's high-stakes matchup to be closer, and Ionescu has been productive as a passer recently, logging at least eight assists in each of her last six appearances. Even if Courtney Vandersloot returns to action Tuesday, I expect her to have some sort of minutes limit, which should allow Ionescu to continue performing at a high level in the assists column. The Lynx have one of the best defenses in the league against opposing guards, but I predict that Ionescu will be able to maintain her recent hot streak, and I like the odds that come with this pick.
