It sometimes feels like the best WNBA players are just competing for MVP runners-up at this point. A’ja Wilson has won the award in 3 of the past 5 seasons, and based on her play through the first half of the season, it seems likely she’ll take home the hardware again this year.
WNBA MVP race: Caitlin Clark and the 4 leading MVP candidates, ranked
A’ja Wilson is once again the frontrunner for WNBA MVP. But who else is in the mix?
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.
But it’s still early days, and several other players have made compelling MVP cases.
Here’s where my MVP ladder stacks up coming out of the All-Star break.
1. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Stats: 26.1 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 1.6 steals
Efficiency: 53.3% FG, 44.6% 3P, 84.1% FT
Team record: 18-8
A’ja Wilson has been the best player in the WNBA thus far. She’s the leading scorer in the league (by almost 3 points), the third-leading rebounder, and one of most dominant defenders in the league, regardless of what criteria you abide by. It’s hard to imagine someone else in the pack surpassing Wilson for MVP, a sentiment that has become commonplace this decade.
2. Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Stats: 20.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 0.7 blocks, 1.4 steals
Efficiency: 51.3% FG, 39.7% 3P, 85.7% FT
Team record: 18-9
Paige Bueckers is having an uber impressive sophomore campaign. She’s been more aggresive, more dominant in the clutch, and is the primary reason for the Wings’ strong season thus far. Bueckers is shooting well from beyond the arc, and is the 6th-leading scorer 6th on the league’s in the league. She’s found a variety of ways to score, while also being top 6 in assists as well.
3. Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx
Stats: 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1.3 blocks, 0.8 steals
Efficiency: 49.4% FG, 35.8% 3P, 87.3% FT
Team record: 22-6
Olivia Miles is having an unthinkable rookie season. She’s averaging the 8th-most points and assists per game, while powering the Lynx to the league’s best player. Her MVP case rests on the fact that she’s been the best player on the league’s best team, and one of the most effective offensive players in the W. Miles can be somewhat of a liability defensively, so that’s one knock on her MVP candidacy, but the fact of the matter is that her play has translated to winner, perhaps more than any other player on this list.
4. Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Stats: 21 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 0.9 blocks, 0.6 steals
Efficiency: 42.5% FG, 34.5% 3P, 86.4% FT
Team record: 17-10
Caitlin Clark is second in assists per game, while being the fourth-leading scorer in the league. Clark, like Miles, leaves a bit to be desired on the defensive end, but is an offensive hub that has been critical to the Fever’s success. Quietly, she’s put together the most efficient season of her three-year pro career. The Fever will have to climb up the standings for Clark to be considered a more legitimate candidate, and continuing to find her rhythm beyond the arc should help, too. But she’s already entered the short-list of the league’s most valuable players.
5. Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Stats: 21.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.2 blocks, 1.4 steals
Efficiency: 46.7% FG, 26.8% 3P, 85.7% FT
Team record: 15-12
Breanna Stewart has done everything for the Liberty. Still, she barely makes the MVP ladder because they’ve underperformed so much this season. The Liberty currently have the league’s 7th-best record, and they’ve dropped 6 of their past 10 games. Regardless, Stewie has been a bright spot in what’s otherwise been a season marred by inconsistency. She’s the league’s third-leading scorer, 8th-leading rebounder, and 5th-leading shot blocker. The two-time MVP won’t be in true contention to win this award until New York turns the season around, but she’s been one of the most effective players on both ends of the floor.
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