2021 WNBA season

The 2021 WNBA season was the 25th season of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Seattle Storm were the defending champions. In the playoffs, the Chicago Sky won in four games over the Phoenix Mercury. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teams played a 32-game season (rather than the 36 games agreed to in the original 2020 season schedule) that included mini two-game series to reduce travel. The regular season ran from May 14 to September 19, with a break from July 12 to August 11 for the Olympic Games.

This season also marked the launch of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup, which had been intended to start in the 2020 season but was delayed due to COVID-19. The first home game and first away game for each team against each of its conference opponents doubled as Cup games; all such games were played before the league took its Olympic break. The Cup final, officially called the Commissioner's Cup Championship Game, featured the conference leaders in the Cup standings and was held on August 12, three days before the rest of the league resumed play, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. A prize pool of $500,000 was provided for the Cup, with players on the winning team guaranteed a minimum bonus of $30,000 and those of the losing team guaranteed $10,000, and the championship game MVP receiving an extra $5,000. The Seattle Storm defeated the Connecticut Sun 79-57 to win the inaugural cup. Breanna Stewart was named MVP of the game.

The season had 100 games broadcast on national networks, including 25 across ABC and ESPN networks, 40 on CBS networks, and 35 on NBA TV. The remainder of games were broadcast on local networks and the WNBA's League Pass service; several games were also streamed on Twitter, Amazon Prime, and Oculus.

This season saw Wilson take over as the league's ball supplier. Spalding previously held the contract for the league's first 24 seasons.

2021 WNBA draft
The New York Liberty won the first pick in the 2021 WNBA draft in the draft lottery, but the pick was later traded to the Dallas Wings who picked Charli Collier.

Retirement

 * On February 8, 2021, Crystal Langhorne announced her retirement after thirteen seasons of playing in the WNBA. She won the 2018 and 2020 WNBA titles with the Seattle Storm. Langhorne was a two-time All-Star and won the Most Improved Player Award in 2009. She announced her retirement to become the Storm's Director of Community Engagement.
 * On February 9, 2021, Renee Montgomery announced her retirement after eleven seasons of playing in the WNBA. She won the 2015 and 2017 WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx. Montgomery won the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year award in 2012 and was a two-time All-Star.
 * On March 8, 2021, LaToya Sanders announced her retirement after nine seasons playing in the WNBA. She won the 2019 WNBA title with the Washington Mystics.
 * On March 15, 2021, Morgan Tuck announced her retirement after five seasons playing in the WNBA. She won the 2020 WNBA title with the Seattle Storm.
 * On May 13, 2021, Seimone Augustus announced her retirement after fifteen seasons playing in the WNBA. She was a four time WNBA Champion, eight time WNBA All-Star, one time WNBA Finals MVP, and she won WNBA Rookie of the Year in her rookie season.  In addition to her decorated WNBA career she spent time playing overseas in Russia and Turkey, where she won the EuroCup twice and Turkish Cup once.  Augustus joined the Los Angeles Sparks coaching staff.

Free agency
Free agency negotiations started on January 15, 2021, and the signing period began on February 1, 2021.

Schedule
! colspan=2 style="background:#094480; color:white" | 2021 WNBA regular season

! colspan=2 style="background:#094480; color:white" | 2021 WNBA postseason







Note: Games highlighted in ██ represent Commissioner’s Cup games.

Statistical Leaders
The following shows the leaders in each statistical category during the 2021 regular season.

Playoffs
The WNBA continued its current playoff format for 2021. The top eight teams, regardless of conference, make the playoffs, with the top two teams receiving a bye to the semi-finals. The remaining six teams play in two single-elimination playoff rounds, with the third and fourth seeds receiving a bye to the second round.

Postseason awards
The award previously titled "Sixth Woman of the Year" was changed to "Sixth Player" starting with this season.

Western Conference
Notes:
 * Year with team does not include 2021 season.
 * Records are from time at current team and are through the end of the 2020 regular season.
 * Playoff appearances are from time at current team only.
 * WNBA Finals and Championships do not include time with other teams.
 * Coaches shown are the coaches who began the 2021 season as head coach of each team.