The 2025 WNBA season is here, with preseason games underway and the regular season starting on May 16.
The current MVP, A’ja Wilson, and the Las Vegas Aces, with a renewed look, maintain confidence in their core. Breanna Stewart seeks to help the New York Liberty defend their championship. Napheesa Collier, after an outstanding season in Unrivaled, aims to avenge the Minnesota Lynx’s defeat in the WNBA Finals. Caitlin Clark, in her second year, leads the Indiana Fever in the fight for the title.
These four players top the ranking of the 25 best WNBA players according to Alofoke Deportes.
The first nine positions were quickly decided by consensus. The middle part of the list was more complicated, considering the performance in the preseason, such as the performance in Unrivaled. Rookies were not eligible, but could enter the list as the season progresses.
Below, the list of the 25 best preseason players, according to Alofoke Deportes criteria:
- 1. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Center | 6 feet 4 inches
2024 Statistics: 26.9 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 2.6 BPG
Wilson, 28, had one of the best individual seasons in WNBA history. She won her third MVP award with record averages in points, rebounds, blocks, and steals (1.8 per game). Her scoring average was the highest in league history, surpassing Diana Taurasi’s 25.3 PPG in 2006. For the third consecutive year, Wilson had a shooting percentage above 50% and was included in the All-WNBA and All-Defensive First Teams.
- 2. Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
Front | 6 feet 1 inch
2024 Statistics: 20.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.9 SPG
Collier, who was fifth last year, solidified her position as Wilson’s main competitor for MVP. After averaging career highs in rebounds, assists, and blocks, as well as being named Defensive Player of the Year and finishing as MVP runner-up, Collier led the Lynx to their first Finals appearance since 2017. Considered the best player in the series, Collier scored the go-ahead basket in the closing stages of the fourth quarter of Game 5 before the New York Liberty forced overtime and won. Collier went on to win MVP in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league she co-founded.
- 3. Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Front | 6 feet 4 inches
2024 Statistics: 20.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 3.5 APG
After the All-Star break, Stewart elevated her game, averaging over 22 points and 46% on 3-pointers. In the same period, she ranked among the top 15 in offensive and defensive rating among WNBA players averaging at least 25 minutes per game, and was fourth in points in the paint per game with 10.9. All this culminated in a Finals performance that helped the Liberty achieve their first title after falling to the Aces in the 2023 Finals. Stewart closed out her season with three consecutive double-doubles, helping New York win its first title in WNBA history.
- 4. Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Base | 6 ft
2024 Statistics: 19.2 PPG, 8.4 APG, 5.7 RPG
Clark dazzled as a rookie, especially in the second half of the season, and managed to be selected to the All-WNBA first team and finish fourth in the MVP voting. Now, with a real offseason to work on her game and some time to recharge mentally, she seems poised to have a memorable second-year campaign. With a new coach and some important free agency additions, Clark will have to adapt to playing in a new system and with new teammates, but spending the entire offseason training in Indianapolis with Fever coach Stephanie White and her staff should help facilitate the transition.
- 5. Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
Front | 6 feet 2 inches
2024 Statistics: 10.6 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 7.9 APG
For the first time in her WNBA career, Thomas will not play with the Connecticut Sun, starting this season with the Phoenix Mercury. It will be fascinating to see how Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts utilizes a player as versatile as Thomas: last season she finished 2nd in the league in assists and 9th in rebounds. Due to shoulder problems, the vast majority of her shots are in the paint. At the beginning of training camp, Tibbetts called Thomas “basketball magic” for her basketball IQ and said she will play point guard, power forward, and center for the Mercury.
- 6. Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty
Forward | 6 feet 6 inches
2024 Statistics: 14.2 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.3 BPG
Jones’ second year with the Liberty was just what the franchise hoped for, as she won her first WNBA title. Jones was the WNBA Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 points, on 56.1% shooting, and 7.6 rebounds in the five-game series against Minnesota. She was also on the All-WNBA and All-Defensive second team last season. The chemistry between Jones and post star Breanna Stewart really clicked in their second season together.
- 7. Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Base | 5 feet 11 inches
2024 Statistics: 18.2 PPG, 6.2 APG, 4.4 RPG
Ionescu built an early MVP candidacy at the start of last season before a leg injury caused a decline in production. Although she averaged a career-best 18.2 points per game, she finished the season shooting 39.4% from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range. Ionescu is expected to return to the efficiency level she had two seasons ago (42.3% and 44.8%) as the Liberty look to defend their title.
- 8. Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm
Front | 6 feet 2 inches
2024 Statistics: 16.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.3 APG
Ogwumike’s move to Seattle after 12 years in Los Angeles was a big boost for the Storm, who returned to the postseason after missing it in 2023. Ogwumike has been a model of consistency since entering the league as the No. 1 draft pick in 2012. That continued last season, as her numbers were nearly identical to her career averages. She was named to the All-WNBA and All-Defensive teams and competed in her ninth All-Star Game.
- 9. Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Base | 6 ft
2024 Statistics: 15.8 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.4 RPG
Young’s shooting numbers fell last season, with 33.7% from beyond the arc after shooting nearly 45% in 2023. His 2024 postseason averages were down from his regular season production: 13.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in six playoff games, as the Aces failed to achieve their goal of a three-peat.
- 10. Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks
Base | 5 feet 8 inches
2024 Stats: 17.8 PPG, 4.2 APG, 2.9 three-pointers per game
Having played her entire career with the same franchise, though divided between a rebuilding era in San Antonio and the fight for the title with the Aces, Plum embarks on a new era after a trade sent her home to Southern California. One of several stars in Las Vegas, Plum will be the reference player for the Sparks, giving her the opportunity to improve on the 19 PPG she averaged with the Aces. But she will also have the challenge of using her game to help 2024 draft picks Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson take the next steps in their development.
- 11. Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury
Base/Delantero | 6 pies 1 pulgada
2024 Statistics: 21.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.3 APG
Copper had a career-high scoring average in her first season with the Mercury last year and was named to the All-WNBA second team. She competed in her fourth consecutive All-Star Game, this time as part of Team USA, and then played in the Olympics for the first time, winning gold. With the departure of Diana Taurasi (retired) and Brittney Griner (traded to Atlanta as a free agent), the Mercury have a new identity this season, and Copper is an important part of it.
- 12. Satou Sabally, Phoenix Mercury
Front | 6 feet 4 inches
2024 Statistics: 17.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.0 APG (15 games)
Sabally wasn’t at her best in 2024, when a shoulder injury limited her to 15 games (all after the All-Star break). But if she returns to the level she played at in 2023, when she earned her first All-WNBA First Team selection and lived up to her “unicorn” nickname, she’ll catapult even higher on this list. After Dallas drafted her at No. 2 in 2020, this will be Sabally’s first season with a new franchise, where, alongside Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper, she’ll have a starring role on a revamped Phoenix team.
- 13. Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
Base | 5 feet 8 inches
2024 Statistics: 19.2 PPG, 40.2% 3FG, 1.8 APG
It’s no surprise that re-signing free agent Mitchell was Indiana’s top priority in the offseason. After the franchise endured several difficult seasons, Mitchell had a career year in 2024 and was a big part of the Fever’s return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. Playing alongside Caitlin Clark helped open things up even more for Mitchell, and with the rest of the Fever’s free agency acquisitions, it will now be even harder for opposing teams to focus on stopping her on the back line.
- 14. Arike Ogunbowale, Dallas Wings
Base | 5 feet 8 inches
2024 Statistics: 22.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 5.1 APG
Her 2024 scoring average was the second-best of her career. Her 2.7 SPG and 92.1% free throw shooting were career highs that led the WNBA last year. Her assist average was also a career best and ranked eighth in the league. She was the All-Star Game MVP, in addition to being named to the All-WNBA second team. However, the Wings finished second-to-last with a 9-31 record. No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers provides more help to Ogunbowale this season.
- 15. Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx
Base | 5 feet 11 inches
2024 Statistics: 5.0 PPG, 3.2 APG, 40.7% 3FG
McBride averaged more points during her glory days in Las Vegas, but 2024 was the most impactful season of her WNBA career. Ideally complementing Napheesa Collier’s inside game, McBride had the best accuracy of the six players who made at least 100 three-pointers last season. She increased her scoring in the playoffs, averaging 17.8 PPG in the Finals, including 21 points in the decisive Game 5. McBride stayed hot in Unrivaled, finishing third in scoring and joining Collier on the All-Unrivaled first team.
- 16. Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
Base | 5 feet 11 inches
2024 Statistics: 8.6 PPG, 4.9 APG, 1.3 SPG
If there’s one thing that makes Gray optimistic about her 2025 season, it’s her health. Last season was plagued by injuries and that led to a drop in production. (She averaged a career-best 15.3 PPG and 7.3 assists in 2024). But it also ignited a spark in Gray, which was evident in her performance in Unrivaled. Gray was one of the best players in the 3-on-3 offseason league, averaging 22.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game. She also shot 45.7% from the field and 45.3% from 3 on her way to helping the Rose win the title and being named Finals MVP. Her play in Unrivaled helped her make this list and will help propel the Aces if she can translate it to the WNBA.
- 17. Brittney Griner, Atlanta Dream
Center | 6 feet 9 inches
2024 Statistics: 17.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.5 BPG
After 11 seasons with Phoenix, who drafted her No. 1 overall in 2013, Griner moved to Atlanta as a free agent. She will now team up with another new face for the Dream in the post, Brionna Jones, for new coach Karl Smesko. Griner was an All-Star and Olympian again last season and remains one of the league’s best true centers. We’ll see how her game adapts in a different environment.
- 18. Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm
Base | 5 feet 9 inches
2024 Statistics: 15.1 PPG, 6.4 APG, 1.7 SPG
Diggins’ full-season stats from 2024 don’t tell the whole story. After giving birth to her second child and missing the entire 2023 campaign, Diggins wasn’t at her best for the first two months of last season. But after the Olympic break, Diggins averaged 18.5 PPG and 6.3 APG, on 48% field goal shooting, production similar to her three seasons with the Phoenix Mercury that earned her All-WNBA honors. Diggins also earned first-team All-Unrivaled honors as part of a Lunar Owls team that had the best record in the league.
- 19. Jewell Loyd, Las Vegas Aces
Base | 5 feet 11 inches
2024 Statistics: 19.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.6 APG
Another former franchise figure who moved to a new team this offseason, Loyd’s arrival in Las Vegas helps offset the loss of Kelsey Plum, firmly keeping the Aces in the championship conversation. In her last season with the Seattle Storm, Loyd struggled with efficiency (shooting 27.4% from the 3-point arc) as the team faded after the Olympic break. But a fresh start could help Loyd rediscover her form, and with plenty of help around her in A’ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, and Jackie Young, Loyd won’t be asked to do everything for the Aces.
- 20. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Base | 6 feet 2 inches
2024 Statistics: 17.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 3.2 APG
This could be a breakout campaign for Howard, who won Rookie of the Year and has been an All-Star twice, but has yet to help the Dream get past the first round of the playoffs. Howard’s value was evident by his absence last year: Atlanta went 1-9 in the 10 games Howard missed before the Olympic break. She averaged 19.0 PPG after the Olympics, as the Dream went 8-8 to make the playoffs. Now, Atlanta has more talent up front with the additions of Brittney Griner and Brionna Jones, raising expectations.
- 21. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
Forward/Center | 6 feet 5 inches
2024 Statistics: 14.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 3.2 APG
Boston was an All-Star for the second consecutive year, and her statistics were similar to those of her WNBA Rookie of the Year season in 2023, when she was the league’s No. 1 draft pick. She teamed up with the No. 1 draft pick of 2024, Caitlin Clark, to help bring the Fever back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. That inside-outside combination should also be key for Indiana this year.
- 22. Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks
Forward | 6 feet 3 inches
2024 Statistics: 17.3 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG
Hamby, a bright spot for the last-place Sparks this season, had a career year in 2024, averaging career highs in scoring, rebounding, assists (3.5 APG), and double-doubles (16) on her way to earning her third All-Star nod. Now in her third season in Los Angeles, Hamby will have more help playing alongside Kelsey Plum, her close friend and former Aces teammate, as the Sparks look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
- 23. Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Base | 6 ft
2024 Statistics: 15.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.7 APG
Gray could thrive under new coach Karl Smesko and his heavy emphasis on 3-point shooting. Last season, she shot 34.2% from beyond the arc, and with, hopefully, more spacing and shooting threats with a healthy roster alongside her, Gray will be able to find easier shots.
- 24. Ezi Magbegor, Seattle Storm
Center | 6 feet 4 inches
2024 Statistics: 11.7 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.2 BPG
Magbegor anchored a top-four defense, earning first-team All-Defensive honors for the first time after two second-team nominations and finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. With Jewell Loyd gone, the Storm will ask more of Magbegor on offense. She averaged a career-best 13.8 PPG in 2023, making her All-Star debut, but took on a smaller role in the Storm’s offense after the arrival of Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike. Magbegor’s recovery from 3-point range will be key to an All-Star return. After shooting 38.5% from beyond the arc in 2023, Magbegor shot a career-low 24.5% last season.
- 25. Angel Reese, Chicago Sky
Forward | 6 feet 3 inches
2024 Statistics: 13.6 PPG, 13.1 RPG, 1.9 APG
Despite her rookie season being cut short by a wrist injury, Reese is coming off an All-Star season and tallied a record 15 consecutive double-doubles and grabbed a WNBA-record 446 rebounds in 2024. The issue with Reese’s game last season was range and her ability to finish at the rim. (She shot 39.1%). She spent a good portion of her offseason working on both with Lisa Leslie in Miami at Unrivaled, and the results should pay off.
