April 27th, 2026

All Healed Up: 5 Key Players Returning from Injury in 2026

"Close up of Rebekkah Brunson's shoes in the Lynx vs Sparks game at Target Center, the Lynx won the game 83-72 & Brunson set the all time WNBA rebound record" by Lorie Shaull is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

All Healed Up: 5 Key Players Returning from Injury in 2026

The margins were so thin in Seattle last season: the Storm won just two more games than they lost (23 wins, 21 losses), had an average margin of victory of only 2 points, and wound up facing Las Vegas in the first round of the playoffs, where they lost a decisive Game 3 by just 1 point.

If Jordan Horston had been healthy, Seattle likely would have won at least 3-4 more games. A terrifically fun player to watch, Horston is a dynamic scorer and athletic defender who can create off the dribble. Dynamic scoring and terrific fun were sorely missed in Seattle last year, where Horston's speed & athleticism would have improved an already strong defensive roster.

With Horston healthy, Seattle might have avoided opening the playoffs in Vegas and Noelle Quinn might still be the coach of the Storm.

Instead, now Horston returns to a new-look Seattle team led by first-year coach Sonia Raman and the youth movement of Dominique Malonga, Awa Fam, & Flau'jae Johnson. Provided Horston is healthy (she missed the Storm's first preseason game), she'll see plenty of minutes this season. If Jordan can make the jump Seattle fans were hoping to see in 2025, she can secure her position as a key piece in this new year of Storm basketball.

Kayla Thornton (Golden State Valkyries)

When the Liberty left Kayla Thornton unprotected in the 2025 expansion draft, they had to know she'd be selected by the Golden State Valkyries. But New York's front office didn't see the player Thornton would become or they'd never have let her go.

A hard-nosed athletic baller who does all the little (and often painful) things, Thornton started 22 games for Golden State in 2025. She averaged over 14 pts and 7 rebs, stealing the hearts of Bay Area fans en route to becoming the Valkyries' first ever WNBA All-Star.

Thornton's knee injury (suffered in practice right after All Star Weekend) caused her to miss the second half of the season, but she's ready to go for 2026, starting in Golden State's first preseason game.

The Valkyries could be very dangerous this season, but they won't be sneaking up on anyone after making the playoffs in 2025. Willpower will remain one of their greatest advantages and it's something Thornton has in spades.

Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (New York Liberty)

Last year's New York Liberty played a lot of ugly games, far more than most fans at Barclays Center (at least the ones who don't remember Westchester County Center!) are used to. The 2025 New York Liberty were missing key pieces from their 2024 WNBA Championship run: Kayla Thornton, off to the Valkyries, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, injured in Unrivaled.

Laney-Hamilton started 25 games for the Liberty in 2024, including every game in the playoffs. In the regular season, she averaged 11+ pts, 4+ rebs, 3+ assists, and 1+ steal a game. Beyond the all-around contributions of this stat line, Laney-Hamilton provided the Liberty with much needed toughness and resilience. She's a player who demonstrates trademark C. Vivian Stringer defensive aggressiveness and court savvy.

Laney-Hamilton has re-signed with the Liberty in 2026 on a one-year protected contract worth $400,000, a relative bargain for a player of Betnijah's caliber in the post-2026-CBA era.

Will she be fully healthy to start the season? And how will her role on the team shift in 2025, especially given the arrival of "the Unicorn," Satou Sabally? If Betnijah plays the way she did in 2024 this season, expect her to make closer to $1,000,000 for another team in 2027.

Georgia Amoore (Washington Mystics)

After suffering an injury during last year's training camp, Washington Mystics point guard Georgia Amoore has yet to play her first WNBA game.

Point guard is a notoriously difficult position with a steep learning curve following players' transition from college to the pros. Amoore stayed with the Mystics to rehab last year, trying to learn as much as possible from the sidelines. The Mystics had Sug Sutton and Jade Melbourne playing point alongside silky smooth rookie Sonia Citron and veteran Brittney Sykes (until Slim's late-season trade to Seattle).

Of these players, only Citron remains on the roster to start 2026. (Melbourne is in training camp in Seattle, Sykes signed with the Toronto Tempo, and Sutton was selected by the Portland Fire in the expansion draft)

With Amoore as the Mystics presumptive starting point guard (Rori Harmon could be in the mix as well), Washington has gone all in on the youth movement. Will Amoore can find her footing as starting PG, or will the Mystics turn to the draft (or free agency) to shore up this position entering 2027?

Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever)

Caitlin Clark played in just 13 games for the Indiana Fever in 2025. Despite injuries to Clark, Sydney Colson, Aari McDonald (injured in the same game as Colson) and others, the Fever defied expectations and made a deep playoff run powered by stars Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston. How will the Fever build off their playoff success in 2026?

The pressure to match or exceed last year's result will be high, especially if Clark can stay healthy. Given how other top teams have reloaded their rosters, it won't be an easy road.

Caitlin hasn't played in the W since last July. Overall, her professional career to this point has left fans with more questions than answers. What can we expect from the Iowa star's third pro season? Will she be able to avoid injury and settle into a consistent role? Will Coach Stephanie White find a system that best utilizes the whole Fever roster, but particularly Indiana's "big three" of Mitchell, Boston, and Clark?

The addition of Raven Johnson in the 2026 draft means Clark has an excellent defender to rely on as a teammate and to sharpen her game against in practice. Though usually lauded for her scoring, Clark is a brilliant passer with exceptional court vision. If the Fever can develop chemistry between Clark and Aliyah Boston, in particular, they have a chance to play in the Finals.

Finish Through Contact is a blog celebrating the players of the WNBA and Unrivaled (and other women's and non-binary players' basketball leagues).