{
  "id": 2429566,
  "title": "WNBA Tanking Season Is Officially Underway for Several Teams",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/wnba-tanking-season-is-officially-underway-for-several-teams",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-21T20:10:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Front Office Sports",
    "slug": "front-office-sports",
    "url": "https://frontofficesports.com/wnba-tanking-season-underway-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is officially experiencing a season of intentional losing for several teams. The playoff-bound eight franchises have signaled that tanking measures are in effect, as teams on the opposite end of the standings step up their efforts to avoid a playoff berth. With only ten games left in the season, Dallas Wings and Portland Fire are separated by five games, vying for the last playoff spot. The Toronto Tempo, once a playoff contender, has lost 12 straight games, with their last victory against the New York Liberty 40 days ago. The team's struggles stem from injuries, with key players Brittney Sykes and Kiki Rice missing a combined 34 games. Toronto has the second-best odds for winning the 2027 WNBA draft lottery, but with additional losses, they could lose their top position. The Los Angeles Sparks, despite a six-game losing streak, have not entered the tanking phase, with head coach Lynne Roberts hinting that bench players will receive more playing time. This admission marks the first public confirmation of tanking in the league. While the WNBA's tanking efforts are less severe than in the NBA, the league's draft lottery system, which considers past two seasons' standings, makes the process more challenging. Expansion teams Toronto and Portland, despite their poor records, have a better chance at securing the top draft pick due to the lottery system. Other teams, like the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury, avoid tanking as they do not own the rights to their 2027 first-round draft picks. The trade deadline saw Los Angeles acquire five-time All-Star Kelsey Plum, but GM Vanja Černivec of the Fire emphasized their commitment to building a competitive team rather than prioritizing the top draft pick.",
  "summary": "The Toronto Tempo have lost 12 games in a row.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}