With free agency in full-swing and the 2026 WNBA season right around the corner, many WNBA fans across the United States are biting their nails to see how the rosters shake out. With a compressed free agency period, the pressure is on to sign star players, with the new super-max salary being over five times what it previously was. Many big-name players have already been signed, leading to speculation on who will be the most explosive team on the floor this year. Here are some of the pairings we’re excited to see during the upcoming WNBA season.
1. Angel Reese and Allisha Gray
If you haven’t been living under a rock for the last week, you probably know that the Chicago Sky traded Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream. While this spawned many a hook to describe her new home (“Barbie’s Dream House” stands out), what was less flashy was Allisha Gray re-signing with the Dream on a three-year max deal – 6 figures per season for the reigning FIBA 3×3 Americup champ.
Adding Angel to the core Dream squad, all of whom have re-signed this year, will certainly be a get for an already-elite rebounding team, who had the highest rebounds per game in the league last season. The second? Chicago, thanks to Angel’s 12.6 RPG. Whether she’s a regular starter or coming off the bench, she’s sure to have chemistry with the only other Unrivaled champion on the team – and thanks to the draft, the Dream picked the center they desperately needed in South Carolina’s Madina Okot.
Everyone knows that Angel can get the rebounds, but we’d love to see Angel spend this season working on her assists in Atlanta. With her rebounding abilities and Allisha Gray’s icy 3-pointers, these two could lead the Dream to be a real playoff contender together come September. Their Team USA and All-Star chemistry will certainly be exciting to watch unfold on their custom black court—but RIP Chi-Town Barbie.
2. Kamilla Cardoso and Rickea Jackson
Speaking of the Sky, the team that tied for most losses in the league last year will return for the 2026 season with an impressive roster—adding Skylar Diggins, DiJonai Carrington, and Rickea Jackson will certainly be a boon for the team hoping to make it back to the playoffs (or at least get a winning season for the first time since 2022).
With Angel Reese traded to the Dream, the Sky was in desperate need of a power forward, and Rickea Jackson may be the answer to Chicagoans’ prayers. Kamilla Cardoso is used to playing with excellent forwards in Ashlyn Watkins, Chloe Kitts, and Sania Feagin in South Carolina, then Angel Reese on the Sky, so having a skilled forward accompanying her in the paint was an obvious choice—and an excellent trade for the guard-heavy Sky.
Kamilla has been notably working on her skills and speed, with significant gains made in her points per game after her off-season in China last year as part of the Shanghai Swordfish, then returning to the WCBA to average 17+ PPG as a member of the Guangdong Vermilion Birds (plus her stint in Team Brazil). Rickea, however, spent her offseason starting for the Breeze BC in Unrivaled, honing her individual skills in 3×3 and playing efficiently on both sides of the court. These two will surely make a deadly combination this year, with the 6’2” Jackson and 6’7” Cardoso dominating in the paint. Even without Angel on the team, we will be forced to stan.
3. Brittney Sykes and Marina Mabrey
Double the talent, double the crashouts—Marina Mabrey and Brittney Sykes will be bringing the heat to Toronto this summer. Mabrey is coming off of a hot off-season as the leading scorer in the Lunar Owls BC, where it wasn’t uncommon for her to drop a 30-piece, and Sykes is an all-around player that ranked second in Unrivaled in steals. Both players were reportedly signed to max multi-year contracts, signaling that these two will be a partnership for at least two seasons.
With both of these players sure to feature on the starting lineup, it becomes obvious that Slim’s experience as a point guard will help her in running plays and get her assists up with an experienced shooting guard like Mabrey, and each should help to take the defensive pressure off of the other. Both of these players are lethal when it comes to three-pointers, so it appears Toronto has truly come to play with their pick-ups this year.
Sykes and Mabrey will undoubtedly be excellent when it comes to leading a new team, and with coach Sandy Brondello at the helm, the Toronto Tempo are sure to come out of the gate strong during their first season. Here’s hoping that the crashout jar makes its return and fills up quickly!
As free agency continues to unfold, more pairings will certainly arise that will shape the league’s new rosters. We’re excited to see how the teams are distributed, and how the new draft class will impact the play we see on the court this year.
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