We had high hopes for the 2024 WNBA season—and it certainly delivered. Full of surprises, dramas and more.

Here’s a look back at Swish Appeal’s coverage of some of the W’s most memorable developments and dynamics:

Give me Liberty!

After 28 years and a few too many Finals heartbreaks, the New York Liberty, one of the WNBA’s original eight franchises, finally won it all.

Following 2023’s Finals’ disappointment, the Liberty were on a mission in 2024, with their eyes fixated on the ultimate prize throughout the season.

Although their playoff run was not without moments that caused memories of past failures to begin to swirl, New York came through when it mattered most, with a Sabrina Ionescu game-winner in Game 3 of the Finals followed by a Finals MVP-sealing performance by Jonquel Jones in Game 5 delivering the long-sought trophy to NYC.

A’mazing A’ja

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The Las Vegas Aces could not complete their hoped-for three-peat. Yet, A’ja Wilson poured all she had—and then some—into the effort.

Wilson authored one of the—and maybe THE—most dominant seasons in WNBA history as she won her third MVP award in unanimous fashion.

Along with her on-court excellence, a best-selling book and a forthcoming signature shoe contributed to Wilson’s all-round cultural ascendance.

Rookies rocked the W

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Yes, the 2024 rookie class was highly anticipated. However, the collection of future stars, headlined by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, shook up the league more significantly than could have been imagined, attracting a record number of eyeballs, inspiring a myriad of conversations and, most importantly, playing some great basketball.

After a shaky start that was compounded by a tough schedule, Clark soon hit her stride, helping the Indiana Fever return to the playoffs as she snared numerous statistical achievements on her way to winning Rookie of the Year.

Reese likewise disrupted the record books, with the Chicago Sky star defying doubters by emerging as an immediately impactful player.

Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso, Rickea Jackson, Jacy Sheldon, Aaliyah Edwards and Kate Martin also contributed to the excitement surrounding the WNBA’s first years, weathering the ups and downs of their debut seasons in ways that suggest they’ll also be league fixtures for seasons to come.

It was legendary

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Although the 2024 made new legends, it also presented opportunities to honor some of the game’s greats.

In late April, Candace Parker announced her retirement, closing out a career that exceeded the high expectations foisted on her when she emerged as a dunking phenom from suburban Chicago.

Possibly, Diana Taurasi will join in retirement, as the White Mamba hinted that this might have been her last season. Tina Charles, who returned to the W after a season away, put her name right behind Taurasi’s, becoming the WNBA’s second all-time leading scorer.

Another great had her status confirmed, as Seimone Augustus, owners of one of the sweetest jumpers in all of basketball, entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Minnesota magic

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After the Minnesota Lynx made a series of savvy offseason moves, it was reasonable to expect that they’d exceed relatively low preseason expectations. However, the Lynx obliterated their imagined ceiling.

Minnesota perfected an entertaining, egalitarian brand of basketball, establishing themselves as a two-way force that would not compete for titles in future seasons, but was ready to win the franchise’s first championship since 2017—now.

While collecting well-deserved hardware, including the Commissioner’s Cup Championship, along way, the Lynx, fueled by an all-time Game 1 comeback, made it all the way to the waning moments of Game 5 of the Finals before coming up just short. 2024 might well be remembered as the beginning of the next Lynx dynasty.

An unexpected Storm

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The Seattle Storm, however, were the team that was expected to emerge as the WNBA’s next, possibly dynastic titan.

Yet, the would-be super team not only disappointed, but also already is disintegrating. After a season filled with indicators that the Storm would not meet expectations, an end-of-season investigation, which did not substantiate allegations of mistreatment by the coaching staff, concluded with a trade request, with Jewell Loyd, a Storm lifer and two-time champion in Seattle, requesting a trade. The fall out of Seattle’s 2024 failure looks to be the first domino in what promises to be active offseason.