The WNBA Commissioner's Cup, known for sponsorship reasons as the WNBA Commissioner's Cup Presented By Coinbase, is an in-season competition of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) that begins at the start of the regular season and continues throughout the first half of the season. The final is played between the top teams from the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. A total of 60 regular-season contests involving all 15 teams count toward the Cup standings.
The Commissioner's Cup was originally scheduled to begin in the 2020 WNBA season, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cup was first awarded in the 2021 season.
In October 2021, the WNBA announced that Coinbase had acquired the naming rights to the Cup starting with the 2022 tournament.
Format The Commissioner's Cup consists of regular-season games designated to count toward Cup play. The team from each conference with the top record in designated "Cup games" will then compete for the Commissioner's Cup title and a special prize pool. Beginning in 2024, Cup games are a series of home or road games against its five conference rivals. From 2021 to 2023, Cup games were the first home game and first road game each team plays against its five conference rivals. The Cup restores the Eastern–Western Conference rivalry that WNBA used in its playoff tournament until the 2015 WNBA Playoffs.
The first Commissioner's Cup Final game was held at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Prize The total compensation tops out at $500,000, with the winning team making around $30,000 per player and the game's MVP taking home an additional $5,000. On the losing team's side, players earn $10,000 each.
The winning team also receives the Commissioner's Cup Trophy.
History New York Liberty were the first team to win the tournament twice, 2023 and 2026.
Year WinnerResult Runner-up Cup MVP 2021 Seattle Storm 79–57 Connecticut Sun Breanna Stewart 2022 Las Vegas Aces 93–83 Chicago Sky Chelsea Gray 2023 New York Liberty 82–63 Las Vegas Aces Jonquel Jones 2024 Minnesota Lynx 94–89 New York Liberty Napheesa Collier 2025 Indiana Fever 74–59 Minnesota Lynx Natasha Howard 2026 New York Liberty 93–85 Las Vegas Aces Breanna Stewart
Final appearances Statistics for cumulative annual finals wins and losses, not Commissioner's Cup qualifying games.
TeamWinsLossesYear(s) wonYear(s) lost 3 New York Liberty 2 1 .667 2023, 2026 2024 3 Las Vegas Aces 1 2 .333 2022 2023, 2026 2 Minnesota Lynx 1 1 .500 2024 2025 1 Indiana Fever 1 0 1.000 2025 — 1 Seattle Storm 1 0 1.000 2021 — 1 Connecticut Sun 0 1 .000 — 2021 1 Chicago Sky 0 1 .000 — 2022
Cup final records This table shows a list of records through the history of the Commissioner's Cup final. Cup recordsMilestonePlayerTeamDateInformation Points, individual Jackie Young Las Vegas Aces June 30, 2026 31 points Rebounds, individual A'ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces July 26, 2022 17 rebounds Assists, individual Courtney Vandersloot New York Liberty August 15, 2023 10 assists Steals, individual Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm August 12, 2021 4 steals Blocks, individual A'ja Wilson Las Vegas Aces July 26, 2022 6 blocks Points, team Minnesota Lynx June 25, 2024 94 points vs. New York Rebounds, team New York Liberty June 30, 2026 51 rebounds vs. Las Vegas Assists, team Minnesota Lynx June 25, 2024 26 assists vs. New York Steals, team Seattle Storm August 12, 2021 14 steals vs. Connecticut Blocks, team Las Vegas Aces July 26, 2022 9 blocks vs. Chicago Career wins, coach Noelle QuinnBecky HammonSandy BrondelloCheryl ReeveStephanie WhiteChris DeMarco Seattle StormLas Vegas AcesNew York LibertyMinnesota LynxIndiana FeverNew York Liberty 202120222023202420252026 1 win Career wins, player Breanna Stewart Seattle StormNew York Liberty 202120232026 3 wins Margin of victory Seattle Storm August 12, 2021 22-point win (79–57) over Connecticut Attendance, one game Target CenterMinnesota Lynx (Host City) July 1, 2025 12,778
See also NBA Cup
References
External links Official website