Top 20 WNBA players countdown, ranked for the 2018 season: Part 1

LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 29: Renee Montgomery #21 of the Minnesota Lynx protest the ball against Alana Beard #0 of the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Three of the 2017 WNBA Finals on September 29, 2017 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photos by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 29: Renee Montgomery #21 of the Minnesota Lynx protest the ball against Alana Beard #0 of the Los Angeles Sparks in Game Three of the 2017 WNBA Finals on September 29, 2017 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photos by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
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ARLINGTON, TX – MAY 13: Elizabeth Cambage #8 of the Dallas Wings shoots the ball against the Las Vegas Aces on May 13, 2018 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Sergio Hentschel/NBAE via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – MAY 13: Elizabeth Cambage #8 of the Dallas Wings shoots the ball against the Las Vegas Aces on May 13, 2018 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photos by Sergio Hentschel/NBAE via Getty Images)

11. Liz Cambage, Dallas Wings

Another one that might be low. Just for comparison’s sake, consider the following: Sylvia Fowles has a career player efficiency rating of 25.4, with a high of 30.8 last season, her MVP year. Brittney Griner is at 24.7 for her career, with a career-high of 28.7 last season. Liz Cambage has done it in far fewer games, and none since 2013, but her career PER is 24.7, and in 2013, she checked in at 29.9. This is all stat shorthand for understanding that Cambage, if she is no better than she was her last time through the league, already performed at a level comparable to the reigning MVP and possibly last year’s second-best player, not to mention two of the most dominant fives in league history. All that remains is for Cambage to come back and show that she’s that player, if not better—remember, she’s only 26 now, and was 21 when she last played in the league—and this rating will look entirely too low.

COMING SOON: THE TOP 10!