The two-time reigning champion Las Vegas Aces would hit the road for the opening round of the playoffs if they started this weekend.
It’s been an eyebrow-raising start to the WNBA season and the teams are already into the second quarter of the schedule. The Sun set a franchise record, starting the season 9-0, and leading the standings. The Mystics started 0-12 before finally getting a win over Atlanta on Tuesday. New York, Minnesota and Seattle fill out the top four, while Chicago, Los Angeles and Indiana battle for the final playoff spot. The All-Star Game is quickly approaching on July 20 and fan voting is open this week.
With a month later and between 11 and 14 games in each team’s schedule, Yahoo Sports checked back in to see how the prize races were shaping up.
Most valuable player
Alyssa Thomas, Sun
It’s the three-way MVP battle between Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson and Thomas that we expected, plus the addition of Lynx forward Napheesa Collier. If the season ended today, Thomas would be my pick because of the way the 11-year veteran fills up the stat sheet. A masterful facilitator at the forward position (she leads the league with 8.1 assists per game), she is the only player to average at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, and chips in 1.8 steals for the best team in the competition. Her defense is her calling card, and she trails only Collier in defensive win shares.
The rest of the five on the ballot, in order: Collier, Stewart, Wilson and Kayla McBride. Wilson fell so low because of the Aces’ 6-5 record, but the two-time former MVP leads all scorers (28.3 points per game), ranks second in rebounds (11.4) and third in blocks (2, 7). — Cassandra Negley
Alyssa Thomas, Sun
There is no denying how important Thomas is to the sun. Her statistics speak for themselves. To me, MVPs need to have an impact on both ends of the floor, and Thomas fits that bill. On offense and defense, Thomas leads Connecticut’s offense and leads her team in rebounds, assists and steals. She also led the Sun to their best start in franchise history, and they currently sit atop the standings at 11-1. If the Sun continue their winning ways and enter the postseason as one of the league’s best teams, it will be difficult to see anyone else winning the award. — Eden Laase
Rookie of the Year
Caitlin Clark, fever
Clark is off to an excellent start to her WNBA career despite facing the league’s best teams early and fielding their best defensive efforts. It’s still her price to lose, although Angel Reese (12.4 ppg, 9.6 rpg) and Cameron Brink (2.9 bpg) have also had strong starts. Kamilla Cardoso’s debut was postponed due to an injury, but she was also able to start this conversation.
Clark is averaging 15.6 points (17th all-time for rookies) and is one of two rookies averaging at least 10 points, four rebounds and four assists per game. Her six assists per game rank fourth in the league, and she is tasked more than any other rookie in this class as the leading ballhandler and the biggest name in league history. – Negley
Caitlin Clark, fever
As it stands now, the Rookie prize belongs to Clark, but things could get interesting down the line. Angel Reese is starting to get comfortable and is averaging almost a double-double. If she continues to improve throughout the season, I could see the Sky forward taking home the award. But at this point in the season, despite her team’s struggles, Clark was the top-performing rookie, averaging 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Plus, Clark has a lot of hype surrounding her, and that, for better or worse, affects the mood. —Laas
Coach of the Year
Cheryl Reeve, Lynx
Perhaps it’s our collective fault for being surprised by early success in Minnesota, as the Lynx were largely a fringe playoff team in preseason predictions. Still, they’re a solid third in the standings at 9-3, locked into a Western Conference Commissioner’s Cup berth with wins over the Aces and Storm, and lead the league in net rating (14.6 ). Additionally, they are without sophomore forward Diamond Miller (knee).
Credit to Reeve for inserting free agents Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith into a starting lineup with improved production from Collier and McBride. McBride is the only player to shoot better than 50% from deep (51.7% on 7.3 attempts per game) and her 70.5 TS% in a single season would rank third all-time. – Negley
Noëlle Quinn, Storm
The Storm were 11-29 last season, finishing in 11th place and missing the playoffs. They are already 9-4 this season, including a win over defending champion Aces. In the offseason, Quinn and Co. succeeded. managed to sign Nneka Ogwumike and Skylar Diggins-Smith, ushering in a new era of Storm basketball. Quinn’s job was to get Ogwumike, Diggins-Smith and Jewell Loyd to play together. There were early growing pains, but since opening the season with back-to-back losses, the Storm are 9-2. Quinn has not only coached the trio in developing chemistry, but she has also helped her role players progress. Ezi Magbegor is having her best season, Jordan Horston has made improvements in Year 2, and Sami Whitcomb, Mercedes Russell and Victoria Vivians all understand and execute their roles. —Laas
Defensive Player of the Year
Ezi Magbegor, Storm
The Storm rank second in defensive rating (92.3) with a tougher first quarter of the schedule than league-leaders Sun (90.9) and have already played the high-scoring Lynx three times. That defensive success is largely due to Magbegor, the rim protector who makes the Storm significantly better when they are on the floor (87.5 defensive rating on, 101.7 off). The fifth-year center leads the league in blocks (3 per game) with a third-best block rate of 8.5. She ranks second in defensive profit shares and fourth in defensive rating. If the Storm’s success continues — and if other team defenses, like the one in Las Vegas, continue to struggle — Magbegor should lead all conversations. – Negley
A’ja Wilson, Aces
The Aces may have unexpectedly struggled to start the season, but one thing has remained the same: Wilson’s elite defense. She is second in the league in defensive rebounds with 9.1 per game, third in blocks with 2.6 per game and ninth in steals with 1.8 per game. She and Collier are the only two players in the WNBA to rank in the top 10 in all three categories. The knock against Wilson right now is that her team is 6-5, but in both wins and losses, she has remained elite defensively. If the Aces start winning again, they will move back to the top of the DPOY award discussion, but even if they don’t, Wilson’s defensive impact should not be ignored. —Laas
Sixth player of the year
Chennedy Carter, Sky
Carter is an instant spark off the bench for the Sky with a quick first step and downhill speed. The fourth-year guard led Chicago’s scoring attack in three straight games this month (19 points at Indiana, 16 against New York and 25 against Washington) and is the team’s second-leading scorer at 12.6 per game while allowing 2.6 RPG scores. and 2.4 apg while shooting a team-best 50.9% overall. The Sky’s offensive rating jumps from 88.5 to 103.6 when she is on the court.
The Sky’s mediocre record (or her entry into the starting lineup) could hurt her chances in September, leaving the prize open for a player like Sophie Cunningham. Alysha Clark could rejoin the conversation if Aces point guard Chelsea Gray returns before the 20 game days. And if Fever forward Temi Fagbenle (foot) returns and remains on the bench, her budding chemistry with Caitlin Clark will put her in contention. – Negley
Sophie Cunningham, Mercury
When the Mercury signed Rebecca Allen, I thought she would come off the bench, but after starting the past two seasons, Cunningham has become the Mercury’s sixth player. She has embraced the role and is making an impact. Cunningham is averaging 8.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game, and her rebounding and steals numbers are both double what she averaged as a starter in 2023. Cunningham is also shooting better, despite coming off the couch. She is making 43.8% of her attempts (up from 41.3 last season) and 37.3% from beyond the arc (up from 33.7%). —Laas
Most Improved Player
Dearica Hamby, Sparks
The two-time Sixth Player of the Year is averaging career highs across the board as a starter in her 10th season and second with Los Angeles. She is sixth in scoring (20 ppg), first in rebounding (11.4 rpg), 10th in field goal percentage (54.1), third in 3-point percentage (48) and one of four players to average a double- double.
Hamby’s scoring output increased 53% per 40 minutes (14.4 to 22.1), her rebounding increased 32% and assists increased 41%. Those are all significant jumps from her first season with the Sparks, when she played all 40 games a few months after the birth of her second child. She starred in a starring role in LA, where she is tasked with leading a young team focused on future success rather than active ascension.
Is this more of a comeback award selection? Maybe. Continue with it. – Negley
Maddy Siegrist, Wings
Siegrist visibly struggled at times during her limited minutes for the Wings last season. She was a prolific scorer during her time at Villanova, accumulating 2,896 points, including a 50-point game. But those skills didn’t transfer immediately during her rookie campaign. Siegrist often tried to execute moves she would have scored on in college, only to be denied at the edge, or cut off and forced into a difficult pass. That won’t happen this season. Siegirst earned a starting role and is averaging 32.6 minutes after playing just 8.2 minutes per game last season. Her numbers have increased dramatically, from 3.7 points and 1.6 rebounds to 14.3 points, 4 rebounds and 1.3 assists. Siegrist is also shooting more, but at a higher percentage from the floor, up to 54.5% from 50.9% last season. —Laas
