3 Best WNBA First Basket Props for Thursday 7/3/25

Over a 40-minute WNBA game, a lot can happen, but the action gets underway right at the opening tip-off.

And, although the first basket of the game is a small piece to the puzzle of the eventual winner, we can dig into usage and tip-off trends to examine the WNBA first basket markets at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Please note lines are subject to change throughout the day after this article is published. All injury news comes via the official WNBA player news wire.

WNBA First Basket Picks and Props for Tonight

Seattle Storm at Atlanta Dream

Allisha Gray (+550)

The Atlanta Dream are always interesting to grab an early bucket with Brittney Griner jumping. My jumpball model expects around a 77% chance for Griner to win the tip tonight, and Atlanta has scored first in 11 games, tied for a league-high.

The Dream also have a concentrated shot tree that also applies to first-look attempts. This season, Allisha Gray, Brionna Jones, and Brittney Griner all have four first shot attempts each within the offense; Rhyne Howard has three. Howard is considered a game-time decision.

Gray -- an All-Star starter and the media and league's top-ranked guard this season -- has already scored the game's first bucket three times this season, tied for second-most in the league, as well.

Washington Mystics at Minnesota Lynx

Courtney Williams (+850)

The expected jumpball between Shakira Austin and Alanna Smith doesn't specifically favor either side, so as I see it some longer odds are more appealing in the first-scorer market for this game.

That puts Courtney Williams in the spotlight.

Williams has taken the first shot for the Lynx eight times this season, tying her for the league lead in team first-basket attempts.

With that said, she's been the first-basket scorer in only two matchups so far and is shooting 40.6% from the field. But that's likely leading to longer odds for someone who gets up early shot attempts.

Phoenix Mercury at Dallas Wings

Kahleah Copper (+750)

Satou Sabally is around 56% likely to win the tip for the Mercury tonight, per my model, so it's not a massive advantage in Phoenix's favor.

However, it's more than a coin flip, and that can let us take a look at a recent surge in early shots for Kahleah Copper.

Copper has started five games this year and three in a row. In each of the last three, she's taken the first shot for Phoenix.

Overall this season, Copper has been pretty active, taking 0.47 shot attempts per minute this season, trailing Sabally's team-best 0.55 -- but not by a huge margin.

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