How to watch former Gamecocks in 2025 WNBA playoffs
The 2025 WNBA Playoffs kick off on Sunday and several former South Carolina women’s basketball players are vying for a championship.
In total, eight former Gamecocks are amongst the rosters of the eight teams who made this year’s playoffs. The playoffs start Sunday at 1 p.m. with a matchup between the Minnesota Lynx and Golden State Valkyries.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 WNBA Playoffs:
Who’s in?
The top eight teams in the WNBA make the playoffs, regardless of their conference. Here’s how they’re seeded in the bracket:
- 1) Minnesota Lynx (34-10)
- 2) Las Vegas Aces (30-14)
- 3) Atlanta Dream (30-14)
- 4) Phoenix Mercury (27-17)
- 5) New York Liberty (27-17)
- 6) Indiana Fever (24-20)
- 7) Seattle Storm (23-21)
- 8) Golden State Valkyries (23-21)
Which former Gamecocks made it?
A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces), Allisha Gray and Te-Hina Paopao (Atlanta Dream), Aliyah Boston and Bree Hall (Indiana Fever), Zia Cooke and Tiffany Mitchell (Seattle Storm) and Laeticia Amihere (Golden State) are the South Carolina representatives in the playoffs.
Wilson is looking to win a third WNBA title with the Aces while the other seven former Gamecocks are all attempting to win their first WNBA championships, respectively.
First round schedule
The WNBA playoffs are three rounds: the first round, semi-finals and then finals. The first round os a best-of-three series, the semi-finals are a best-of-five series and the finals are a best-of-seven series.
Here’s a look at the first round schedule:
Sunday, Sept. 14
- Golden State vs Minnesota (Game 1): 1 p.m. on ESPN
- Indiana vs Atlanta (Game 1): 3 p.m. on ABC
- New York vs Phoenix (Game 1): 5 p.m. on ESPN
- Seattle vs Las Vegas (Game 1): 10 p.m. on ESPN
Tuesday, Sept. 16
- Atlanta vs Indiana (Game 2): 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Las Vegas vs Seattle (Game 2): 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Wednesday, Sept. 17
- Phoenix vs New York (Game 2): 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
- Minnesota vs Golden State (Game 2): 9:30 p.m. on ESPN
Thursday, Sept. 18
* if necessary
- Seattle vs Las Vegas (Game 3*): 7:30 on ESPN2
- Indiana vs Atlanta (Game 3*): 9:30 on ESPN2
Friday, Sept. 18
* if necessary
- Golden State vs Minnesota (Game 3*): 7:30 on ESPN2
- New York vs Phoenix (Game 3*): 9:30 on ESPN2
WNBA playoffs semi-finals and finals schedule
The semi-finals will start on Sunday, Sept. 21 and will end on Tuesday, Sept. 30 if both series need all five games to decide who will move on to the finals.
The first three semi-finals game will be played on Sept. 21, Sept. 23, and Sept. 26. If needed, the fourth and fifth games of the series will be played on Sept. 28 and Sept. 30.
The finals will begin on Friday, Oct. 3 and will conclude on Friday, Oct. 17 if all seven games are needed. The first four games of the finals will be played on Oct. 3, Oct. 5, Oct. 8 and Oct. 10. The fifth, sixth and seventh games of the series will be played on Oct. 12, Oct. 15 and Oct. 17 if needed.
To view the entire WNBA playoffs schedule click here.
WNBA Awards
The WNBA’s end-of-season awards haven’t been announced yet, but will start to be slowly announced over the next few weeks.
That being said, the Associated Press released its WNBA Awards on Friday and a few Gamecocks brought home top honors.
Wilson was named the AP’s WNBA Player of the Year for the third time in her career. She also won the award in 2024 and 2020. Wilson was also named the AP’s Defensive Player of the Year. This is her third time earning the honor, she previously won the award in 2023 and 2022.
Wilson was also named to the AP All-WNBA First Team for the fifth time in her career. Wilson was joined by former Gamecock teammate Allisha Gray on the All-WNBA First Team. It was Gray’s first AP All-WNBA nod and she became the second in the Dream’s franchise history to earn a First Team recognition
