Basketball is a difficult game to predict at the best of times.
Nobody could have foreseen LeBron’s Cavs team claw back from a 3-1 deficit in 2016, nor Kevin Durant's derailing injury in 2019. Two key moments which cost the Golden State Warriors an expected five-peat.
In the same vein, Breanna Stewart and Sue Bird, along with this year's Seattle Storm look primed to top the 2020 WNBA without much challenge.
However, with a shortened season and a neutral Florida venue bound to complicate matters, anything can happen. The past has proven there’s no such thing as a sure bet. And many teams will be waiting to pounce once Seattle stumbles.
Read on to discover the odds on favourites to make an impact in the upcoming WNBA season: Can anyone knock the Storm from their perch?
Seattle is the closest thing to a sure bet for the WNBA title. With Brianna Stewart returning from injury, you’ll be certain to see her challenging for league MVP once again. Her odds are particularly favourable knowing she will be supported by the experienced floor general, Sue Bird — a veteran player committed to ending her career at the top.
The only foreseeable issue being Seattle has too much talent to efficiently manage. Balancing Natasha Howard — who’s following a breakout season as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year — alongside the returning Bird and Stewart is no mean feat.
But if the front office gets the chemistry right, there is every chance Seattle can dominate for much longer than this season alone.
Ultimately basketball is a game of stats and numbers. Studying the odds with comparison sites like OnlineCasinos.co.uk will give a decent understanding of form. Particularly looking at the seasons projections at espn.co.uk as they place the Storm over their closest rivals due to a far superior defensive rating. Possessing everything you need to win a WNBA title on paper, you’ll be hard pressed to find an online casino who’d favour another team. The Storm have it all: star power, bench depth and team chemistry.
Washington are the closest challengers, hoping to dash Seattle's title winning aspirations. Although Natasha Cloud, LaToya Sanders, and the reigning MVP Delle Donne are all sidelined for 2020 in some shape or form.
Being last year's champions, it's still their league to lose. But after being gutted of MVP calibre talent through injuries and medical exemptions, that title winning team seems to exist in name alone.
However, it's not all bad news as the champions have been bolstered by a slew of newcomers and veteran talent. Including the Finals MVP, Emma Messseman. Alongside her comes Ariel Atkins and rookie Kiara Leslie, who is something of a wild card after being injured through last season.
It’s clear to see Washington will be approaching 2020 differently to the year prior, yet this could work in their favour. Written off by many fans, the bookies seem to highly tout what’s happening over in D.C. With odds being much closer than you might expect given the obvious disparity between the Mystics and Storm.
Washington Mystics: certainly not favourites, but definitely one’s to watch.
Other than maybe Washington, taking Seattle head on will be nigh on impossible in the WNBA's postseason. But if a team can hit their stride in the playoffs, an upset could be on the cards.
The ultimate underdog could be the Minnesota Lynx who are an exciting, unpredictable team; capable of doing some surprise damage to the odds-on favourites.
They possess two fascinating youngsters in Mikiah Herbert Harrigan and Napheesa Collier, last year's Rookie of the Season. Both of whom the competition haven't quite figured out how to play.
Although, aside from a few veterans, the team could prove to be immature and incapable of showing any sort of court leadership. The Lynx are far from the finished article, but will show themselves to be an interesting pick, now and for the future.
Sometimes it's worth taking a punt on an outside chance. Minnesota is certainly out there, but they’ll be fun to watch the whole way. And just maybe they could defy the odds and win it all.
Recommended reading: Four-time WNBA All-Star Acquired by Phoenix in Sign and Trade Deal
The Florida bubble will change the tone of 2020, but not necessarily the talent on display. Despite health concerts, the odd on favourites have managed to retain most of their lineups. With or without crowds this season is about to be a good one.
