WNBA Postpones Start of 2020 Season Due to Coronavirus Pandemic

The WNBA has postponed the start of training camp and the upcoming 2020 season due to the coronavirus pandemic, the league announced Friday.

The league's decision comes after the federal government extended the nationwide social distancing guidelines through April 30. Training camp was set to begin on April 26 before the regular season's scheduled start on May 15.

"While the league continues to use this time to conduct scenario-planning regarding new start dates and innovative formats, our guiding principle will continue to be the health and safety of the players, fans and employees," commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement.

The WNBA is the latest major U.S. sports league to be impacted by the pandemic. The NBA, NHL, MLS and MLB have suspended or postponed their seasons due to the widespread outbreak of COVID-19. On March 11, the NBA was the first league to suspend its season after Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus, and other leagues followed suit shortly thereafter.

Due to the pandemic, the WNBA already decided to hold its April 17 draft virtually without players, guests and media in attendance. Engelbert will announce the draft picks live on ESPN2, and the broadcast will include streams with players' from their remote locations.