Imago
May 23, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles the ball against the Connecticut Sunin the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Imago
May 23, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) dribbles the ball against the Connecticut Sunin the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
The WNBA has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation, whether it’s tweaking the All-Star Game format or reducing the shot clock to keep the pace of the All-Star games fast and exciting. We have seen and experienced it all! But perhaps the biggest addition to the W product came in 2021, right after Covid! The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup.
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Since its inception, the tournament has become a key part of the WNBA calendar, adding more meaning to regular-season games. This concept has since been successfully used by the NBA as well through their very own in-season tournament – the NBA Emirates Cup.
Fans love it. Players take it seriously. And why wouldn’t they? There’s real money on the line. A total prize pool of $500,000, plus a $120,000 cryptocurrency donation from Coinbase. A lot is at stake, and the quality of the games automatically improves. It never feels like just another game. It’s playoff action from the get-go!
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eyes on the prize.
tomorrow we battle for the Commissioner’s Cup Championship at 8 p.m. against the Lynx. pic.twitter.com/OZuSg3kYUL
— Indiana Fever (@IndianaFever) July 1, 2025
Tomorrow, Caitlin Clark will have a chance to win her first trophy with the Indiana Fever, but she will be up against the defending champions, led by MVP favorites Napheesa Collier. While it will be interesting to see who comes out on top, this also gives us an opportunity to look into the history of the competition.
What Is the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup?
Well, the competition in itself requires no such introduction. Simply put, it is the in-season tournament of the W. But the format? That’s worth knowing about!
The Commissioner’s Cup adds extra meaning to a few regular-season games by designating them as cup games. Each team plays a set number of these games. Currently, it’s five for Eastern Conference teams and six for those in the West! The best part about them? These games count towards both the regular-season standings (barring the championship game) and the Commissioner’s Cup leaderboard. So once the games are done, the top two teams from both conferences proceed to play in the finals.
All-Time WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Winners (2021–2025)
Since its launch in 2021, the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup has seen a new champion every year. The Seattle Storm cemented themselves as the first champions of this competition. After that, the Las Vegas Aces won it in 2022, the New York Liberty in 2023, and the Minnesota Lynx in 2024!
Which Team Has the Most WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Wins?
As mentioned above, no team has claimed the Commissioner’s Cup title more than once. But the Lynx have the opportunity to become the first team to win it twice. Can they do it? You have to stay tuned to find out! Meanwhile, you can check out everything there is to know about the upcoming match here.
WNBA Commissioner’s Cup MVPs by Year
Just like the teams, no player has ever won the Commissioner’s Cup MVP more than once. Breanna Stewart took home the honors in the inaugural year with the Storm. Since then, Chelsea Gray, Jonquel Jones, and Napheesa Collier have each claimed the title.
So, who’s next? Who do you think will walk away with the MVP after tomorrow’s final? Let us know in the comments down below!
Written by
Edited by
Shreya Singh