The stars of the WNBA don’t touch down at Rocket Arena until May 2028, but the race is on to build the foundation of the yet-to-be-named Cleveland basketball team.
The forthcoming expansion team, announced in June, is set to play in Rocket Arena, the home of the Cavaliers. It’s already secured 7,000 season-ticket pledges. Cleveland Clinic Courts in Independence will be the women’s practice home, with the NBA squad eventually moving to the Cleveland Clinic Global Peak Performance Center in the Flats.
Other big announcements should come as early as January or February, which is when the league expects to share the name, colorway and branding for the new team. From there, a general manager and coach must be selected in preparation for free agency and the draft in 2027, the first in which the team will participate.
Much like the league did with the Golden State Valkyries, which began play in 2025, the team will be built by selecting one player from every team. Each franchise designates six protected players that the new team cannot pick. Then, the expansion team is included in the draft lottery, ensuring them a top-five pick.
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And don’t worry Browns fans, the Valkyries were able to make the playoffs in their first season, which proves that there is a road to success through expansion, says WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert. The Valkyries also sold out every home game this season.
“There's a total formula for this,” she says. “Growing organizations and being successful is all about human capital. You surround yourself with a great head of business operations, a great GM, a great head coach, and you build a culture of winning.”
The WNBA and Rocket Entertainment shared the details of the roadmap to Cleveland’s first season on Tuesday morning at a panel and hype event attended by media, local students and celebrity guests like Myles Garrett of the Browns. Mayor Justin Bibb and Cuyahoga County executive Chris Ronayne spoke alongside the Cavs president of basketball operations Koby Altman and Grant Gilbert, Dan Gilbert’s son and the vice president of basketball and business. The organization also pledged 28 “community activations for girls’ and women’s basketball” leading up to 2028.
“Bringing women’s professional basketball back to Ohio is a source of immense pride for our entire organization and region,” says Gilbert. “When we build, we’re all in. Cleveland’s WNBA franchise will be known for its investment in both championship-caliber culture and the community.”
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