WNBA playoff teams ranked by how queer they are

From left: Alyssa Thomas, StudBudz, and Kate Martin.Sam Hodde/Getty Images; Steph Chambers/Getty Images; Michael Hickey/Getty Images

The sapphics are heading to the playoffs!

This season may have just been the WNBA’s gayest yet, with 41 queer players suiting up every week, which means this year’s playoffs are going to be full of queer women.

For the 2025 playoffs, eight of the 13 teams in the league will be competing for the championship title, and every single team playing has at least two LGBTQ+ players.

This year’s WNBA playoffs have everything. We’ve got the StudBudz fighting for the Minnesota Lynx, couples taking to the court together, and girlfriends who are going to be forced to compete against each other.

And while some people are anxiously waiting to find out what team is going to come out on top, we’re wondering who wins a different competition altogether: which team is the gayest?

So keep scrolling to see our extremely scientific ratings!

7. Atlanta Dream

It was hard to choose between the Atlanta Dream and the Fever both of which have two queer players, but we gave extra points to the Dream because WNBA sapphic icon Britney Griner is on the team, and this will mark her tenth playoff run.

Queer players:

Britney Griner

Jordin Canada

6. Seattle Storm

Honestly, there was tough competition between the Storm and the Valkyries since they have the same number of queer players, and although the Oakland-based team has a very sapphic raven named Violet as their mascot, the Storm’s mascot, Doppler, has been seen stroking a giant clam. That speaks for itself.

Queer players:

Erica Wheeler

Gabby Williams

Brittner Sykes

5. Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries tied the Seattle Storm with three queer players, but they beat out the Pacific Northwest team for two key reasons. One, they are the first expansion team to ever reach the playoffs in its debut season, and two, their new mascot is almost as a gay as Ellie the Elephant.

Queer players:

Tiffany Hayes

Kate Martin

Cecilia Zandalasini

4. Las Vegas Aces

The Aces have four queer players, including NaLyssa Smith who is currently dating the Lynx’s DiJonai Carrington, and Jewell Lloyd who recently hard launch her relationship with former Miami Hurricanes player Natalija Marshall. The team also has a very sapphic bunny as their mascot. ‘Nuff said.

Queer players:

Kierstan Bell

NaLyssa Smith

Chelsea Gray

Jewell Loyd

3. Minnesota Lynx

Minnesota’s team has five queer players, including the now infamous StudBudz. And while their mascot isn’t as gay as the Liberty, DiJonai Carrington is also dating her former Dallas Wings teammate NaLyssa Smith. The two were split up when Smith was traded to the Las Vegas Aces and Carrington was traded to the Lynx and will now be competing against each other for the playoff championship title.

Queer players:

Natisha Hiedeman

DiJonai Carrington

Courtney Williams

Kayla McBride

Jaylyn Sherrod

2. New York Liberty

The New York Liberty and Minnesota Lynx are both sending five sapphic players to the playoffs, which means that we had to rely on different metrics to figure out which team is the gayest. Now, while the Lynx has the StudBudz, the Liberty eked out a victory by having the gayest mascot in the WNBA. Ellie the Elephant is such a lesbian icon that Liberty is the clear winner.

Queer players:

Natasha Cloud

Isabelle Harrison

Marine Johannès

Jonquel Jones

Breanna Stewart

1. Phoenix Mercury

The Phoenix Mercury beat out all of the other teams with six queer players on the team, including teammates DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas, who are engaged to be married. You can’t get much gayer than that!

Queer players:

DeWanna Bronner

Alyssa Thomas

Kahleah Copper

Natasha Mack

Sevgi Uzun

Sami Whitcomb