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June 19, 2026
Breakaway

WNBA reveals its least surprising award winner

Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton earned the league’s Most Improved Player award.

by Noa Dalzell
Golden State Valkyries v Minnesota Lynx - Game One
Golden State Valkyries v Minnesota Lynx - Game One
NBAE via Getty Images
Noa Dalzell is a senior writer covering the WNBA and all of women’s basketball for Breakaway, SB Nation’s women’s sports vertical, as well as the Celtics for CelticsBlog.

It’s official: Veronica Burton has won the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award, voted on by a panel of media members. Burton won 68 of 72 first-place votes, with Azura Stevens (2 votes), Allisha Gray (1 vote), and Natisha Hiedeman (1 vote) receiving the remaining votes.

Burton, who averaged 11.9 points, 6 assists, and 1.1 steals for the Golden State Valkyries, led the expansion team on both ends en route to a playoff berth.

She was SB Nation’s vote for Most Improved, which we explain here:

On Wednesday, Burton and the Valkyries will look to bounce back from Sunday’s Game 1 loss to the Minnesota Lynx.

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