5 WNBA veterans who deserve the same spotlight as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese

Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun

Selected at No. 4 overall in the 2014 WNBA Draft, Alysa Thomas has spent the past decade establishing herself as one of the best defensive players in the Association. Over the last two seasons, she's emerged as a walking triple-double threat.

A veteran whose résumé is growing stronger every season, Thomas is the type of player who any viewer would become a fan of after watching just one game.

Thomas, 32, earned her first two All-WNBA accolades during the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The University of Maryland's all-time leading scorer is now well on her way to a third as she averages 11.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.

With 49 double-doubles and 10 triple-doubles over the past three seasons, Thomas is a stat-sheet-stuffer who provides the substance to support the style.

Thomas is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the WNBA. She's earned All-Defense honors in five of the past seven seasons, and was even named the EuroLeague Defensive Player of the Year following her stint with USK Praha in 2023.

A former three-time ACC Player of the Year, Thomas is one of the best-kept secrets in the WNBA—and it's past time the secret gets out.