This WNBA offseason has all been about finding silver linings. Waiting around day after day hoping for some good news regarding CBA negotiations between the league and the Players’ Association has been a slog, but some good has come of it. I have had more time to devote to other leagues, most notably LOVB, Women’s Euroleague, and Unrivaled. I’ve also had more time to look at bigger-picture trends in the WNBA, such as tanking and the role of guard play in the league. Another silver lining is that when the work of the WNBA begins in earnest with the expansion draft, free agency, WNBA draft, training camp and preseason games, it should make for the most exciting offseason in WNBA history. That was already likely to be the case, but now we will get a ton of league activity in a short amount of time, which is always exciting. The last silver lining, at least for me, is that this offseason has forced me to look at aspects of the league that I might otherwise have overlooked or taken for granted. And that is how I decided to rank the WNBA mascots in order of preference from favorite to least favorite.

If you are a WNBA fan who has spent any amount of time on social media, you have almost certainly seen at least some of the mascots performing at halftime, making appearances in the community, or making content to promote the team. While all of these mascots are entertaining and add to the WNBA in-game experience, especially for kids, some mascots are just better than others. This is my ranking of the best mascots in the WNBA.

1. Ellie the Elephant, New York Liberty

If I asked, “Who is the only WNBA mascot to have their own Wikipedia page?” we would all know the answer. In just a few short years, Ellie the Elephant has put herself in the conversation for best mascot in North American sports, along with Gritty, the Philly Phanatic, Grizz, and Benny the Bull.Ellie burst onto the scene for her dance moves, which remain iconic, but she has also proven that mascots can be known for their style and swag. Ellie has the most prominent braid this side of Biana Belair, which only adds to her style.Perhaps more than any other mascot in the WNBA, Ellie perfectly fits her city, not only in her name and appearance but, most importantly, attitude. I believe that is why Ellie has become a cultural phenomenon that has reached even beyond basketball.

2. Violet, Golden State Valkyries

As impressive as the Golden State Valkyries were on the court, making the playoffs in their inaugural season, the atmosphere they created at home, Ballhalla, was even more impressive. Violet played a huge part in that. Her name is a nod to the best color scheme in the WNBA.Violet brings a unique style to the WNBA, highlighted by her glasses. Violet did an excellent job all season of firing up Golden State’s sellout crowds in her unique way. In just one season, she became a favorite of fans across the WNBA, not just in the Bay Area.

3. Doppler, Seattle Storm

Doppler without a doubt has the coolest name of any WNBA mascot. I couldn’t tell you to save my life what Doppler is, but they have somehow managed to make a weather-based mascot cool. Doppler is always a welcome sight on Storm home broadcasts, though they look even better when they show up with a cup anemometer on their head. Doppler played a prominent part in one of the best videos of the WNBA season when Seattle legends Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe parodied the infamous Coldplay kiss cam and that alone would be enough to put them in my top three.

4. Skye the Lioness, Chicago Sky

I may be grading on a curve, since Skye is undoubtedly an improvement over Sky Guy, whose only redeeming quality was that his name rhymed. I like that Skye gives a nod to the iconic lion statues at the front of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the yellow head and shoes really pop in contrast to the blue top and legs.

5. Sparky, Los Angeles Sparks

It is sad that Sparky’s claim to fame is getting taken out by a halftime performer doing backflips. He’s probably only this high on the list because I am an unabashed dog lover, but so what? Its my list. Make your own list. He just looks like the goodest boy, and that smile on his face is infectious. I admittedly am very sensitive to mascot’s mouths after my alma mater ruined its mascot, but Sparky’s is perfect.

6. BUCKET$, Las Vegas Aces

I personally think dollar signs in names peaked with Ke$ha and should be retired in her honor, but I will make an exception for BUCKET$. Like Doppler, BUCKET$ is a great name for a mascot. I like BUCKET$’s backstory and the way it connects the Aces to their former home in Texas. Plus, jackrabbits just look cool. BUCKET$’s eyes are a bit too buggy for my taste, which is why he isn’t higher on this list.

7. Lightning, Dallas Wings

Speaking of mascot features that look unnatural, there’s just something about Lightning’s smile that looks uncanny. I think the long face with the open mouth just doesn’t work for me. It’s still way better than Reggie the Redbird, though. That being said, a winged horse is an objectively cool mascot. Also, when she was introduced in 2017, Lightning was somehow the WNBA’s only female mascot, so she definitely gets extra points for that.

8. Pax the Panda, Washington Mystics

Similar to Skye, I like that Pax has a connection to an iconic city institution, in this case, the pandas at the National Zoo. All pandas are adorable, and Pax is no exception. Unlike BUCKET$, they nailed the eyes on Pax. Outside of that, he just doesn’t stand out that much, for better or worse.

9. Blaze, Connecticut Sun

Would Blaze be even lower on this list if he didn’t look vaguely like Alf? We will never know. Blaze is one of the more straightforward mascots in the WNBA, and there’s nothing wrong with that. His name is a play on the team name, and he looks exactly like you would expect him to look. Blaze may be the oldest mascot in the league after celebrating his 20th birthday in 2024, and I will be interested to see what the new logo looks like if the team gets sold and moved to a new city, as is widely expected.

10. Scorch, Phoenix Mercury

Scorch has an interesting backstory, and if I’m being honest, any mascot whose favorite song is by the Beastie Boys probably deserves to be higher on this list. Give the Mercury points for creativity, but I just think Scorch actually needs to look weirder. He looks kind of like a dinosaur, kind of like a dragon, kind of like a dog, and not like an alien from the planet Mercury. I definitely like Scorch more after learning about him, but only true WNBA sickos are spending this much time doing research, and they shouldn’t have to to connect with a mascot.

11. Prowl, Minnesota Lynx

I’m usually a sucker for cat-based mascots, which is another reason I am so high on Skye, as well as Rocky the Mountain Lion. So it pains me to have Prowl so low. Prowl is a fun enough mascot, but I just think his whiskers make him look like a cartoon villain. When your mascot evokes Snidely Whiplash, it's going to wind up near the bottom of my list.

12. Freddy Fever, Indiana Fever

I just think Freddy Fever is fine. He’s not bad, but I don’t think he’s particularly noteworthy. Before I started this article, I couldn’t have told you what Indiana’s mascot was, and I guarantee Freddy will be purged from my memory by the time the new CBA is signed. Lil Freddy is a nice touch, though he only shows up at games occasionally. If there is one thing I have learned from the Fever, it's that every team should have a miniature version of their mascot that makes appearances from time to time.