The WNBA will a have new team when the 2025 season tips-off next month with the addition of the Golden State Valkyries. When the 2026 WNBA season rolls around, two more expansion teams will begin play in the Toronto Tempo and the yet-to-be-named Portland franchise. The WNBA has already revealed expansion plans to get up to 16 teams by 2028, and Cleveland could be that 16th team, as per Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell.

During a recent appearance on ‘New Heights’ with NFL players Jason and Travis Kelce, Donovan Mitchell revealed what he’s heard about a potential WNBA expansion team coming to Cleveland.

“I won’t give too much, but I’ve heard different things, but I won’t say what I’ve heard. No more than probably what you guys have heard to be honest, but I think it’d be dope,” Donovan Mitchell said. “I love to watch the W just in general. First of all they’re in a phenomenal place and they’re only going to continue to get bigger, and bigger, and better.”

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“I think Cleveland is the perfect place for it like I said,” Mitchell continued. “Everything I said to you about the community, the vibe, the support, the love, I think this is the perfect place for it. On top of that, the season is in the summer. This place in the summer is elite.”

While there has been no definitive answer yet as to whether or not Cleveland will be the 16th WNBA team by 2028, a report that surfaced back in February seemed to hint that this would be the case. The WNBA used to have a team in Cleveland with the Rockers being among the league’s initial franchises.

The Rockers were part of the WNBA for seven years until the franchise folded following the 2003 season. The Rockers had four winning seasons during that stretch with a total of four playoff appearances. One of the franchise’s first players was Lynette Woodard, the player who held the unofficial women’s college basketball scoring record before being passed by Caitlin Clark. Woodard played in college when women’s basketball was in the AIAW and not the NCAA.