WNBA Data
Before writing queries, consult references/api-reference.md for endpoints, ID conventions, and data shapes.
Setup
Before first use, check if the CLI is available:
which sports-skills || pip install sports-skills
If pip install fails with a Python version error, the package requires Python 3.10+. Find a compatible Python:
python3 --version # check version
# If < 3.10, try: python3.12 -m pip install sports-skills
# On macOS with Homebrew: /opt/homebrew/bin/python3.12 -m pip install sports-skills
No API keys required.
Quick Start
Prefer the CLI — it avoids Python import path issues:
sports-skills wnba get_scoreboard
sports-skills wnba get_standings --season=2025
sports-skills wnba get_teams
CRITICAL: Before Any Query
CRITICAL: Before calling any data endpoint, verify:
- Season year is derived from the system prompt's currentDate — never hardcoded.
- If only a team name is provided, call get_teams to resolve the team ID before using team-specific commands.
Choosing the Season
Derive the current year from the system prompt's date (e.g., currentDate: 2026-02-18 → current year is 2026).
- If the user specifies a season, use it as-is.
- If the user says "current", "this season", or doesn't specify: The WNBA season runs May–October. If the current month is May–October, use
season = current_year. If November–April (offseason), useseason = current_year - 1.
Commands
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
get_scoreboard |
Live/recent WNBA scores |
get_standings |
Standings by conference |
get_teams |
All WNBA teams |
get_team_roster |
Full roster for a team |
get_team_schedule |
Schedule for a specific team |
get_game_summary |
Detailed box score and scoring plays |
get_leaders |
WNBA statistical leaders |
get_news |
WNBA news articles |
get_play_by_play |
Full play-by-play for a game |
get_win_probability |
Win probability chart data |
get_schedule |
Schedule for a specific date or season |
get_injuries |
Injury reports across all teams |
get_transactions |
Recent transactions |
get_futures |
Futures/odds markets |
get_team_stats |
Team statistical profile |
get_player_stats |
Player statistical profile |
See references/api-reference.md for full parameter lists and return shapes.
Examples
Example 1: Today's scores
User says: "What are today's WNBA scores?"
Actions:
1. Call get_scoreboard()
Result: All live and recent WNBA games with scores and status
Example 2: Standings
User says: "Show me the WNBA standings"
Actions:
1. Derive season year from currentDate
2. Call get_standings(season=<derived_year>)
Result: Eastern and Western conference standings with W-L, PCT, GB
Example 3: Team roster
User says: "Who's on the Indiana Fever roster?"
Actions:
1. Call get_team_roster(team_id="5")
Result: Full Indiana Fever roster with name, position, jersey number
Example 4: Statistical leaders
User says: "Show me WNBA statistical leaders"
Actions:
1. Derive season year from currentDate
2. Call get_leaders(season=<derived_year>)
Result: Leaders ranked by stat category (points, rebounds, assists, etc.)
Example 5: Championship odds
User says: "What are the WNBA championship odds?"
Actions:
1. Call get_futures(limit=10)
Result: Top WNBA championship contenders with odds values
Example 6: Player statistics
User says: "Show me A'ja Wilson's stats"
Actions:
1. Derive season year from currentDate
2. Call get_player_stats(player_id="3149391", season_year=<derived_year>)
Result: Season stats by category with value, rank, and per-game averages
Commands that DO NOT exist — never call these
- ~~
get_odds~~ / ~~get_betting_odds~~ — not available. For prediction market odds, use the polymarket or kalshi skill. - ~~
search_teams~~ — does not exist. Useget_teamsinstead. - ~~
get_box_score~~ — does not exist. Useget_game_summaryinstead. - ~~
get_player_ratings~~ — does not exist. Useget_player_statsinstead.
If a command is not listed in the Commands table above, it does not exist.
Error Handling
When a command fails, do not surface raw errors to the user. Instead:
1. Catch silently and try alternatives
2. If team name given instead of ID, use get_teams to find the ID first
3. Only report failure with a clean message after exhausting alternatives
Troubleshooting
Error: sports-skills command not found
Cause: Package not installed
Solution: Run pip install sports-skills
Error: Team not found by ID
Cause: Wrong or outdated ESPN team ID used
Solution: Call get_teams to get the current list of all WNBA teams with their IDs
Error: No data returned for a future game
Cause: ESPN only returns data for completed or in-progress games
Solution: Use get_schedule to see upcoming game details; get_scoreboard only covers active/recent games
Error: Offseason (November–April) — scoreboard returns 0 events
Cause: No games scheduled during the offseason
Solution: Use get_standings(season=<prior_year>) or get_news instead
