The 2025 WNBA season has had its share of outstanding particular person performances.
Veteran stars such because the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier and Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson have continued to dazzle. Rookies from the Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers to the Washington Mystics’ Kiki Iriafen have surpassed expectations. Different standouts, such because the Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Grey, Seattle Storm’s Gabby Williams and New York Liberty’s Kennedy Burke may not at all times get the headlines, however they’ve proven super development and have been crucial to serving to their respective groups get off to sturdy begins.
As we method the midway mark of the 2025 marketing campaign, and with the All-Star Sport approaching, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, Kevin Pelton, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel take inventory of the WNBA awards race, sharing early picks (and high challengers) for MVP, Defensive Participant of the 12 months, Coach of the 12 months and extra. We’ll proceed to replace our awards tracker all through the season.
Leap to:
MVP | Rookie of 12 months | Defensive Participant of 12 months
Most Improved | Sixth Participant | Coach of 12 months
MVP
Kendra Andrews: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Kevin Pelton: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Alexa Philippou: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Michael Voepel: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
ESPN’s front-runner: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Editor’s Picks
2 Associated
She is main the WNBA in scoring (23.5 PPG) whereas taking part in for the league’s first-place crew. These are sturdy MVP credentials. Add to that Collier’s career-best taking pictures: 52.1% from the sphere and 95.6% from the free throw line. Additionally, her rebounding (7.9 RPG), elite protection and management.
She was the runner-up for the MVP honor final season, when Minnesota made the WNBA Finals. Collier established herself because the MVP front-runner immediately and continues to be in that function, though our high challenger is on her heels. — Voepel
(Collier was additionally the front-runner in June.)
High challenger: Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
There isn’t any one else like Thomas within the WNBA: a robust submit participant (15.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG) who additionally leads the league in assists (9.5). She is a top-tier defender, too, and is getting a brand new highlight this season in Phoenix after 11 years with the Connecticut Solar. Thomas completed within the high 5 in MVP balloting the final three seasons, together with second in 2023. That yr, she acquired essentially the most first-place votes (23) however completed seven factors behind winner Breanna Stewart. Perhaps that is the season that Thomas comes out on high. — Voepel
Rookie of the 12 months
Andrews: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Pelton: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Philippou: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Voepel: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
ESPN’s front-runner: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Bueckers was out with a concussion and sickness when our final awards check-in dropped; she got here out of the gates firing upon getting back from that four-game absence, taking agency management of the Rookie of the 12 months race.
Amongst her first-year friends, the previous UConn star is tops in scoring, assists and steals. However widen the lens and the All-Star starter ranks top-10 within the league in scoring and is considered one of 4 gamers (alongside Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum and Skylar Diggins) averaging a minimum of 18 factors and 5 assists. In simply 16 contests, she boasts eight video games with 15-plus factors and five-plus assists, already tied for third-most all time by any rookie. And whereas victories have been arduous to return by in Dallas — the Wings’ slew of accidents is not serving to — no participant on the roster impacts successful greater than Bueckers.
High challengers: Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics; Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics
These in WNBA circles had been looking forward to Citron to get to the professionals. She has been a do-it-all participant for the Mystics, together with as a robust secondary scorer behind Brittney Sykes, and has additional impressed together with her play in clutch conditions. Amongst rookies, she ranks second in scoring and rebounds.
Iriafen turned heads early on, together with with 4 double-doubles in her first 5 video games, incomes rookie of the month for Could. Whereas a few of her numbers have since dipped, she’s one of many league’s finest rebounders (her 8.4 boards per sport rank fifth within the W) and has been a main purpose the Mystics have surpassed expectations. — Philippou
(Iriafen was the front-runner in June.)
Defensive Participant of the 12 months
Andrews: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Pelton: Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm
Philippou: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Voepel: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
ESPN’s front-runner: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Collier is the reigning defensive participant of the yr and appears to turn into the seventh participant to win the award in back-to-back seasons (Tamika Catchings did it twice). The 6-foot-1 Collier has the power and approach to battle greater submit gamers, plus the flexibility to chop off penetration to the basket. Her rebounding common (7.9 per sport) is down this season solely as a result of the Lynx have two 6-4 forwards, Alanna Smith and Jessica Shepard, additionally working the boards. Collier’s 1.6 blocks common could be a career-best, and her Lynx lead the WNBA in common factors allowed (74.7) and defensive ranking (97.0). — Voepel
(Natasha Cloud was the front-runner in June.)
Seattle’s Gabby Williams, one of many league’s high defensive stalwarts, was named an All-Star this week for the primary time in her WNBA profession. David Butler II-Imagn Photos
High challenger: Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm
UConn coach Geno Auriemma could be happy to see two of his former Huskies as high candidates for this award. They show the traits which have made UConn such a superb defensive crew for many years now. Williams performs with nonstop power that may shrink the area opposing offenses look to create. She is a flexible one-on-one defender in addition to working properly in a system together with her Storm teammates. Williams leads the WNBA in steals (2.6 per sport) and is within the high 5 in defensive win shares. — Voepel
Most Improved Participant
Andrews: Allisha Grey, Atlanta Dream
Pelton: Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries
Philippou: Allisha Grey, Atlanta Dream
Voepel: Allisha Grey, Atlanta Dream
ESPN’s front-runner: Allisha Grey, Atlanta Dream
Grey has continued her unimaginable bounce this season, incomes an All-Star beginning nod to turn into the primary Atlanta participant to start out the midseason showcase since 2018. Sixth within the league in scoring, averaging 19.4 factors per sport, Grey is taking pictures 42.6% from the sphere. She’s additionally taking pictures 41.6% from 3 on 5.9 makes an attempt per sport, that are each profession highs. In truth, Grey is recording profession highs in nearly each statistical class.
Final month, we highlighted how a lot Grey’s offense has thrived in coach Karl Smesko’s system in his first yr with the Dream, and it is nonetheless true now. After beginning the season on a tear, Grey’s manufacturing may have tapered off, but it surely stays simply as sturdy and simply as environment friendly.
(Grey was additionally the front-runner in June.)
High challengers: Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries; Azura Stevens, Los Angeles Sparks
Thornton has been a fundamental catalyst for the Valkyries’ historic begin. She’s averaging a career-high 15.1 factors per sport — 5 greater than her earlier finest (2019) and over 10 factors greater than what she was scoring in New York final season. Her minutes have additionally seen an enormous bounce — 20.2 final season to 30.1 — as she has gone from function participant to star. All of it provides as much as Thornton turning into the primary participant in league historical past to be named an All-Star in a franchise’s inaugural season.
Stevens was a high challenger a month in the past as properly. She’s scoring a career-high 14.9 factors and making an attempt 10.5 pictures per sport, which matches her profession excessive in 2023. On the defensive finish, Stevens appears as comfy as ever, grabbing a career-best 8.5 boards per sport. — Andrews
Sixth Participant of the 12 months
Andrews: Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty
Pelton: Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty
Philippou: Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty
Voepel: Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty
ESPN front-runner: Kennedy Burke, New York Liberty
The largest menace to Burke’s standing as front-runner once we final checked in on this race has been her ascension to the beginning lineup. Burke has began the previous three video games as Sandy Brondello has favored smaller items in Jonquel Jones’ absence, bringing her to 6 whole begins in 19 video games. Burke has truly been extra productive as a reserve, averaging 10.0 PPG off the bench and seven.7 PPG as a starter, however her scorching 3-point taking pictures has carried over. Burke is making 48% of 3s as a reserve and 50% in begins, along with supplying key perimeter protection for a Liberty crew that misplaced each Thornton and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton from final yr’s championship squad.
(Burke was additionally the front-runner in June.)
play
1:59
Liberty win sixth straight vs. the Aces
The New York Liberty received their sixth straight sport towards their rival, the Las Vegas Aces 87-78.
High challenger: Jessica Shepard, Minnesota Lynx
Shepard acquired a first-place vote final time earlier than lacking two weeks to take part in EuroBasket with Slovenia. Shepard had 12 factors and 15 boards rather than Collier in her first sport again however hasn’t scored in double figures since, which may open the door to teammate Natisha Heideman rising because the Lynx’s high candidate. Atlanta’s Naz Hillmon additionally has a case for her key function giving the Dream extra taking pictures and athleticism within the frontcourt when she replaces starters Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones. — Pelton
play
1:57
Veronica Burton lead the Valkyries to a commanding win over Fever
Veronica Burton drops 21 factors to guide the Golden State Valkyries to a 80-61 win over the Indiana Fever.
Coach of the 12 months
Andrews: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
Pelton: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
Philippou: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
Voepel: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
ESPN’s front-runner: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
The Valkyries is perhaps among the best and most shocking tales in sports activities proper now. And when taking a look at how they’ve far exceeded expectations, it is not possible to not credit score Nakase. She has voiced confidence in her crew since Day 1. But it surely’s one factor to place confidence in your gamers and make them imagine in themselves, but it surely’s one other to really exit and carry out. The Valkyries have.
Golden State is 10-9, good for the sixth seed within the WNBA. Their 10 wins is essentially the most by an enlargement franchise in historical past — and we’re solely midway by means of the season. The Valkyries additionally maintain a greater document than reigning MVP Wilson’s Las Vegas Aces and Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever, two groups we projected could possibly be title contenders. Golden State additionally has the second-best protection within the league behind solely Minnesota, and boasts a top-10 offense as properly.
High challenger: Nate Tibbetts, Phoenix Mercury
In his second season with Phoenix, and the primary with this core group of gamers, Tibbett has turned the Mercury right into a contender. They’ve the second-best document within the WNBA behind the Lynx.
Heading into the season, there have been questions on how properly the Mercury’s new large three of Thomas, Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper would fare, and the way their depth would carry out behind them. Thomas is within the MVP dialog, she and Sabally are All-Stars, and Phoenix has had among the best benches within the league. — Andrews
(Tibbetts was the front-runner in June.)