With WNBA free agency right around the corner, I felt it was vital that we take a look at some of the unsung heroes that constantly make us laugh (or maybe even cry) during your favorite summer months.
These furry, funny, bizarre, and quirky creatures show up every game ready to give it 100 percent regardless of your basketball odds. They remain fiercely loyal to their team even if we still don't know what many of them are. It's time we educate ourselves further on the lovable mascots of the WNBA.
12. Atlanta Dream: Star
Birthday: May 1, 2008, at Zoo Atlanta
Gender: Male
Species: Unknown at this time. Possibly a Yellow-Billed Eagle or a Noisy Miner? Honestly, I just Googled "grey bird with yellow beak.”
Fun Facts: Star hatched just before the Atlanta Dream's inaugural home opener, which took place on May 23rd. The name "Star" was voted on by the season ticket holders of the Dream.
11. Chicago Sky: Sky Guy
Birthday: July 11, 2006, in Chicago, IL
Gender: Male, obviously.
Species: Homo sapien with a jetpack.
Fun Facts: He has night vision goggles and wears a size 16 shoe. His suit is aerodynamic and also waterproof.
10. Connecticut Sun: Blaze
Birthday: July 11, ????
Gender: Male
Species: Mysterious, fuzzy, orange ray of sunshine.
Not so Fun Facts: Just to be honest, there is not a ton of information on Blaze. That's all I've got for you.
9. Dallas Wings: Lightning
Birthday: May 20, 2017
Gender: The ONLY official female mascot of the WNBA
Species: Pegasus
Fun Facts: A bright neon Pegasus was lit up on top of Magnolia Oil Co. in 1934 and, in time, evolved into an iconic symbol for the city of Dallas. You can see Pegasus on murals, restaurants, street signs, and unofficial city flags all over the area. (See, you did learn something.)
8. Indiana Fever: Freddy Fever
Birthday: July 11, ????
Gender: Male
Species: Unknown. I reached out to the Fever to further investigate. They were suspicious and cryptic. I was told this: "Freddy is the friendliest Fever fan of all. He's just Freddy."
Fun Facts: Enjoys making everyone laugh, dancing, and riding scooters.
7. Las Vegas Aces: Buckets
Birthday: Unknown, but one would assume the spring of 2018.
Species: Lucky Rabbit. (Who has brought a ton of luck to the franchise the last couple of years!)
Gender: Unknown
Fun Facts: Is the youngest of all the WNBA mascots. Alternate spelling is: Bucket$. Resides in Sin City and is always around to aid in your basketball betting.
6. Los Angeles Sparks: Sparky
Birthday: July 20, 2007
Gender: Male
Species: Canine
Fun Facts: Sparky is from “Cainaheim,” CA and is the oldest of 10 puppies.
5. Minnesota Lynx: Prowl
Birthday: It’s either Aug 18, June 29, or July 13. It has historically been celebrated on many different dates.
Gender: Unknown
Species: Lynx
Fun Facts: Prowl weighs 75 pounds, and according to the Lynx website, is 5-foot-12 (not six feet, apparently).
4. New York Liberty: Maddie
Birthday: June 29, 1997
Gender: Unknown. One would assume female, but this is not officially documented.
Species: Canine
Fun Facts: Maddie is named after Madison Square Garden, where the Liberty used to play their games.
3. Phoenix Mercury: Scorch
Birthday: June 9, 2002, in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Gender: Male
Species: Unknown
Fun Facts: Scorch loves the Red Hot Chili Peppers, hot tamales, and his idol growing up was Barney.
2. Seattle Storm: Doppler
Birthday: July 10 or July 20
Gender: Unknown
Species: Unknown, but it's safe to assume that is not what a doppler radar looks like.
Fun Facts: Doppler loves Blizzards from Dairy Queen, the Weather Channel, and its favorite superhero is Storm from the X-Men.
1. Washington Mystics: Pax the Panda
Birthday: May 23, 2006, at the Smithsonian Zoo in DC.
Gender: Unknown
Species: Panda
Fun Facts: Favorite movie is Kung Fu Panda.
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Rachel Galligan is a basketball analyst at BetMGM, HERO Sports, and Winsidr, focusing on college hoops and the WNBA. She’s a former D1 standout at Eastern Illinois University, a three-time Hall of Famer, professional basketball player and collegiate coach. Rachel also has served as a color analyst for ESPN, OVC Sports Network, and Mountain West Network.
