The WNBA is expanding. Teams in Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia will join the league one after another beginning in 2028. By the end of the decade, the league will have added six teams and raised nearly $1 billion in expansion fees.
So what does that mean for the Sky?
Head coach Tyler Marsh says it “speaks volumes” about the league’s growth. He called Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia “great basketball cities” with rich histories.
Cleveland was one of the original eight WNBA teams in 1997. Detroit joined a year later and won three titles. And while Philadelphia never had a team, the city has produced legends from University of South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley to Northwestern’s Joe McKeown.
Angel Reese, for her part, is excited to have a team so close to her hometown of Baltimore.
Expansion brings plenty of positives for the league. More teams mean more markets, more visibility and a bigger cultural footprint. That’s good for everyone: the players, the owners, and the fans.
Unless you’re rooting for a team that’s falling behind. That’s where the Sky come in.
The Sky still don’t have a practice facility — and the new one, originally expected by the end of this year, is already delayed. They lag behind NBA-backed teams in player amenities, staffing and infrastructure.
And now, three more giants are on the way. Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia will all be NBA-owned, just like this year’s expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries.
That means deeper pockets. Bigger arenas. And a better shot at landing stars who want to play in front of big crowds.
The Valkyries are already showing what a beautiful arena and sharp international scouting can do. They’ve been one of the league’s surprises this season, sitting at 9–7 and firmly in playoff contention.
That doesn’t mean Cleveland, Detroit or Philadelphia will replicate that immediately. But they won’t be short on resources.
Then there’s the issue of roster construction.
Marsh has already acknowledged the challenge of the 2026 offseason, when nearly every veteran hits free agency. That includes his best scorer, Ariel Atkins, and most of the Sky supporting cast.
Expansion adds another wrinkle: expansion drafts. If the league keeps the current format, each new team will be allowed to pluck one player from every existing roster. So even if Marsh builds a group he loves by 2028, he’ll be at risk of losing a player a year through 2030.
“It’s a downside for sure,” he said.
Two of last year’s top teams, the Liberty and Aces, already felt that sting. They had to leave Kayla Thornton and Kate Martin unprotected in the 2025 expansion draft. The Valkyries swooped in, adding two difference-makers while the Liberty and the Aces took a hit.
Marsh has emphasized depth from day one. He knows it’s what wins championships. But with more expansion drafts coming, it gets harder to cultivate.
