The WNBA is in the midst of a period of massive growth. The Golden State Valkyries began play as an expansion franchise this season with the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire to follow in 2026. Even more teams will enter the fold by the end of the decade, with the league recently awarding expansion bids to Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia for a total of 18 teams by the end of the decade.
Amid critical negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) before the current deal ends after this season, coupled with the expansion boom and new superstars like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese, the league is growing at an exponential pace.
That growth isn't possible without the stars who helped pave the way from the league's earliest days. WNBA legend Lisa Leslie weighed in on the league's most recent expansion news as she spoke to Sports Illustrated on behalf of Gatorade while she helped celebrate this year's Gatorade National Player of the Year: top-ranked recruit and Oklahoma signee Aaliyah Chavez.
"I'm excited about the growth of the WNBA. I think that we paved a way and these women have taken the torch and are running with it," Leslie told SI. "The product has always been amazing out there and we're just really happy where the game is in terms of sponsorship, support and eyeballs that are on the game that's justifying the money that the women are getting and the money that the women are going to get in the future.
"I think the more it grows, the better it is for everybody. The more jobs that are out there because there's a lot of players that end up getting cut because there's just not enough roster space for them. I think the WNBA is really in a great spot—we just hope the CBA and all of that happens and we can get through it. I feel like we're all going through it, but I hope that [the player's union and league officials] can get through it in an amicable way where we can continue to see women's basketball grow and thrive."
While the Valkyries have already begun play, the current CBA is set to expire after the current season—before any of the five remaining expansion teams hit the court. Pressing topics around a new CBA are higher salaries, better benefits and revenue sharing. League officials are slated to meet with WNBPA executives and players Thursday in Indianapolis at a crucial point in CBA talks after the league's first offer was rejected by the players.
The league is clearly planning well into the future (and beyond a new CBA) with the announcement of three more expansion franchises just over two weeks ago. In addition to Golden State, we'll see new WNBA teams in Toronto, Portland, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia shuffle into the league over the rest of the decade. When SI asked Leslie whether there is a specific new WNBA city that she is most excited for, she pointed north of the border.
"I think Toronto. I'm excited about Toronto," she said. "I guess I'd say that because I love Canada. I think it's great for them to have the exposure of the WNBA and to be able to impact another country in the way that the WNBA can. I think it's only positive, so I look forward to getting out to Toronto and seeing some games for sure."
The three-time WNBA MVP and two-time champion can catch the Toronto Tempo during their inaugural campaign next season. As the league works toward a new CBA, the Portland Fire are set to join the WNBA alongside Toronto in '26, followed by Cleveland in '28, Detroit in '29 and Philadelphia in '30.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lisa Leslie Reveals Expansion Franchise She's Most Excited to Watch Join the WNBA.