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), use season = current_year - 1.

Commands

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. Use get_teams instead.
• get_box_score — does not exist. Use get_game_summary instead.
• get_player_ratings — does not exist. Use get_player_stats instead.

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