It's time for the playoffs and time for another top-30 WNBA player ranking. Our last ranking was about two months ago, and a lot has happened in the league since then. Some stars have gotten even brighter while others faltered at the end of the regular season. Basketball is a team sport, but these are the players who had the biggest positive impact on their team. In addition, we will look at what every player needs to do for their team to have a successful playoff run.
30-21
30. Dominique Malonga (29)
29. Carla Leite (NR)
28. Nneka Ogwumike (28)
27. Kahleah Copper (26)
26. Marina Mabrey (23)
25. Kiki Iriafen (22)
24. Chelsea Gray (20)
23. Natasha Howard (19)
22. Alyssa Thomas (24)
21. Jonquel Jones (18)
20. Courtney Williams
Previous ranking: 17
Courtney Williams can provide anything her team needs. She’s among the best guard rebounders in the league as well as a capable playmaker and tough shot maker. She’s a sturdy and reliable veteran, very rarely missing games and always bringing a fight.
Playoffs: The worst game of Olivia Miles’ season came in the one game Williams missed. The Valkyries' defense blitzed her with full-court pressure, forcing turnovers and bad passes. In her first postseason, the star rookie will rely on Williams as a secondary ball handler to give her space to work.
19. Gabby Williams
Previous ranking: 14
A strong DPOTY candidate and Golden State’s leading scorer, Gabby Williams has been the most significant factor in her team’s leap to contending in their second year. She shoots a lot of threes, she gets to the line, and she makes the best player on the other team have a very bad day.
Playoffs: Sometimes Williams will go cold offensively and score a negligible amount of points in an entire game. In the playoffs, that can’t happen. The Valkyries just narrowly finished as the two seed; they have a path to the championship, but she needs to bring her offense.
18. Veronica Burton
Previous ranking: 25
Last year’s Most Improved Player is proving even more improved in her second year with Golden State. She’s the Valkyries' steadiest hand with the best assists-to-turnover rate in the league by a comfortable margin. There are few guards who match her defense. She’s never been an All-Star, but she’s the most important player on the second-best team in the league.
Playoffs: There are no concerns with Natalie Nakase’s team's defense going into the playoffs. They will handle that fine. Offensively, it’s a different story. Dallas is the least challenging playoff team, but Burton needs to lead this offense to score enough points to win playoff games.
17. Kelsey Plum
Previous ranking: 8
This is a weird one. She had quite the run with Los Angeles but missed the majority of the season with injuries. She wasn’t quite as good on her second team, winning only one game in Phoenix. This ranking may seem harsh for a top-four per-game scorer in the league, but between the subpar defense, the lack of team success, and most importantly the availability, I can’t justify her in front of anyone else. I will acknowledge that she was not dealt a good hand this season.
Playoffs: Not this time. The Mercury had better hope she re-signs for another go at it next year. Otherwise, they just traded away their most promising young player and a first-round pick for a player who only won a single game with them.
16. Jessica Shepard
Previous ranking: 12
Some of the numbers Jessica Shepard put up this season are very impressive. She’s the league leader in triple-doubles this season, which is no small feat when Alyssa Thomas is still an active player. She’s likely Most Improved Player, as she ascended from bench player to top-two player on a playoff team.
Playoffs: The defense is concerning. As are her previous playoff performances, even before she had the same expectations and responsibilities. There are a lot of red flags here, but if she can overcome them, the sky is the limit for the Wings. Otherwise, the Valkyries have the easiest round one matchup by far.
15. Alisha Gray
Previous ranking: 13
Coming off an All-WNBA First Team selection, the two-way sharpshooter is not one to overlook. Her shot hasn’t been the most consistent, but when it’s on, she’s incredibly dangerous. This Atlanta team is really good with her as a major piece, and if anything, she could stand to get involved a little bit more.
Playoffs: The Dream have had ups and downs this season, but they’re coming into the playoffs hot. The Mystics peaked late too, though, and their scrappiness and stifling defense should not be underestimated. Gray is going to have to be ready to shoulder a significant offensive load or risk underperforming in the playoffs again.
14. Aliyah Boston
Previous ranking: 10
As great as she is, doesn't it feel like Boston has another level she hasn’t hit yet? The young center is vital to a team that isn’t exactly rolling in frontcourt talent. She’s a very aggressive player in a good way, but also in a way that gets her called for a lot of fouls. The Fever’s big three are, in theory, overpowered, and right now she’s the furthest from her potential.
Playoffs: Boston’s first-round matchup is A’ja Wilson. Few are as well equipped to handle this as she is, but it goes without saying that Indiana is going to need a lot from her if they don’t want to be bounced in the first round.
13. Angel Reese
Previous ranking: 15
Angel Reese is a player of high highs and low lows. This was never clearer than when she missed an inexcusable game-winning bunny, only to turn around and spark the best stretch of her career, in which her offense was as incredible as her defense always is. As loud as some of her flaws can be, she more than makes up for them with her talent.
Playoffs: Atlanta ended pretty sad after a great regular season last year. It’s up to Reese to be the difference-maker this year. She’s a gritty player and a vocal leader, and even just the intangibles she brings could move the needle.
12. Rhyne Howard
Previous ranking: 7
The new record holder for most made 3s in a season, Rhyne Howard, is also the league leader in steals per game. If that isn’t two-way impact, I don’t know what is. She’s a vital cog in a near-impenetrable defensive machine and someone you have to keep an eye on offensively too. As if she doesn’t lead the league in enough things, she also plays the most minutes per game. Occasionally the fatigue shows, but there's a reason they keep her on the court.
Playoffs: What happened in the playoffs last year can not happen again. Atlanta is a better team this year, but the scoring droughts and fourth-quarter struggles that doomed them last year are still issues with this team. Howard needs to be ready for a better performance when the lights are bright, especially in clutch time. She got off to a pretty good start with 26 points in Game 1.
11. Shakira Austin
Previous ranking: 21
Shakira Austin finally had a season healthy enough to show us who she is. She was awesome in the second half of the season and let the Mystics get hot enough to climb the standings and maybe even become a contender. A team vet at only 26 years old, she’s been the key to taking Washington from a rebuilding team to a team that is starting to win.
Playoffs: Atlanta will be the favorite in their first-round matchup, but don’t expect Washington to go down easy. Atlanta’s defense is excellent, but the rim protection is slightly lacking. Austin will need to be the one to attack this Achilles’ heel if they want to pull off an upset.
10. Kayla McBride
Previous ranking: 16
Kayla McBride might be peaking at age 34. It’s hard to get more gritty and hardworking than McBride, who plays heavy minutes, responsible for almost 20 points per game along with the toughest guard assignment on defense. She’s the biggest X-factor for the Lynx, with the team's success being pretty closely correlated to how well her shots are going down. The highlight of her season was an efficient 43-point game with only a single free throw that made her the first player in WNBA history to make ten three-pointers.
Playoffs: McBride is yet to win a championship, and as great as she still is, who knows how many more opportunities she has left. She probably has more at stake than any other Lynx player, and she may be a dark-horse Finals MVP contender—if the Lynx get past the Liberty.
9. Sonia Citron
Previous ranking: 11
In her second year, Sonia Citron has developed into an All-W caliber player. Citron is incredibly scalable, able to hit clutch highlight shots when needed, but other times she can do the dirty work and play a supporting role. She’s the quintessential “little things” player who contributes more to winning basketball than a stat line can reflect. She could fit with any player because she’s just so versatile. She’s also an elite defender who deserves DPOTY consideration.
Playoffs: The Mystics are so young that they aren’t going into the playoffs with much pressure, but they managed to sneak into the fifth seed and are absolutely liable for a first-round upset if the Dream aren’t careful. For this to happen, in addition to everything she already does, Citron’s shot is probably going to have to be on line. Some extra threes would go a long way.
8. Napheesa Collier
Previous ranking: NR
Napheesa Collier is finally back on the court after injuries ended a near-MVP season last year. The versatile former DPOTY is still not back to her full strength. Her lateral movement and quickness are not what they were, and she occasionally seems lost, as if her muscle memory and court awareness are rusty, but she is very much still the All-W player from last year. It’s too early to make conclusions about the Miles and Collier duo, but so far the fit has looked imperfect but good. The Lynx have been even better with her than they were without.
Playoffs: The playoffs will be personal for Collier. Their first-round opponent will be an opportunity for revenge against the Liberty, and they need her to bounce back from a brutal Game 1 loss. Later down the line, she could avenge her lost MVP
7. Kelsey Mitchell
Previous ranking: 6
Kelsey Mitchell is probably the best scorer in the league. Players frequently describe her as the hardest player to guard. Her 20-point game streak has finally come to an end at a historic 27 games, and it probably would be ongoing if Stephanie White hadn't wisely prioritized playoff health and rest and pulled her when the season-closing game fell out of reach in the second quarter. You can’t count on much other than scoring from Kelsey Mitchell, but she’s one of the most effective offensive weapons you can find.
Playoffs: Kelsey Mitchell is looking to build off her playoff success last season as the very injured Fever made an unexpected run. She’ll have a first-round rematch opportunity against the Aces, and this time the injury advantage is on Indiana’s side. Consider this series on upset watch, even after the Aces took Game 1.
6. Jackie Young
Previous ranking: 9
Jackie Young is way better than a sidekick has any right to be. No one is more dangerous than Young when she is on a heater. She’s a triple-double threat, especially if you are busy worrying about the reigning MVP on her team. The Aces aren’t exactly deep in talent, but with this duo, they should always be considered extremely dangerous.
Playoffs: A’ja Wilson can do a lot, but she can’t win a championship by herself. There will be very little wiggle room in the Las Vegas playoff run, especially when facing Clark, Mitchell, and Boston in round one. However, if Young can bring the fight and be the best second option in the league, they could repeat.
5. Paige Bueckers
Previous ranking: 3
One of the brightest rising stars in the league, Paige Bueckers is a perfectly well-rounded guard. She wasn’t far from a 50/40/90 season on high volume. The Wings have taken a major step up from her rookie year, and bright things should be in the future for Dallas with Bueckers as the franchise player.
Playoffs: “Just go out there and have fun.” Ok, Dallas could upset Golden State, and they’re going to give it what they've got, but they’re already ahead of schedule. If they get swept in the first round (the most likely possibility), they can still call it a successful season and a step in the right direction.
4. Breanna Stewart
Previous ranking: 4
Breanna Stewart showed us who she was in the FIBA World Cup as if there was anyone who didn't already know. She's a constant winner of basketball games at any level of the sport. She’s been reliable all season, even when her three-point shot has not. For all of the New York Liberty’s woes, you can never feel comfortable against a team with Stewie.
Playoffs: Beating a #1 seed in the first round is always an uphill battle, but the Liberty have a few things working in their favor. They are a tall team, and the Lynx struggle with size. The Lynx are also slumping and not looking like their best self coming down the stretch. Ultimately, the swing factor probably won't be Stewart, who can always be counted on.
3. Caitlin Clark
Previous ranking: 5
This is the best version of Caitlin Clark yet. The shooting and playmaking are game-changing. If she decides she wants to take over a game, there’s not much anyone can do about it. She is incredibly dangerous on offense and not nearly as bad on defense as you might have heard. Her consistency is not quite there; her turnovers are still many, but she’s getting closer and closer to an MVP season.
Playoffs: Caitlin Clark has never won a playoff game. That doesn’t mean as much as it sounds; none of the three best guards have, but it doesn’t mean nothing either. The Fever are a fringe contender, but their first-round matchup is A’ja Wilson and the Aces. Nothing is going to come easy, but this is her opportunity to prove herself as a postseason player.
2. Olivia Miles
Previous ranking: 1
For a few games in the final stretch of the season, the rookie has looked like a rookie, but she is nonetheless one of the most important players in the league. The Lynx were 31-8 when Olivia Miles played a full game. In the five games she left early or missed entirely, they went 2-3. It’s a small sample size, but it feels believable that without Miles, the Lynx would have gone from being the best team in the league to not being a playoff team at all. Considering she’s only a rookie, her name is going to strike fear into the hearts of defenders for quite a long time.
Playoffs: A third straight playoff heartbreak would sting for the Lynx and their fans, but they do probably have the best preloaded excuse: “she’s only a rookie.” Of all the star players, Miles will probably deserve the most grace if she continues to underperform in the postseason. She was in college playing for TCU not even half a year ago. She has relatively little to lose but so much to gain. Finally avenging the 2024 finals in a first-round matchup with New York? Bringing the first championship to Minnesota since the Maya Moore days? Winning Finals MVP? As a ROOKIE? Eternal glory is on the line for Miles.
1. A'ja Wilson
Previous ranking: 2
A’ja Wilson might be the greatest WNBA player of all time, and she is currently at her peak. It’s that simple. Her impact on both sides of the court is nothing short of dominant. She’s a perfect basketball player. She’s near the top of virtually every statistic you could think of. She’s the heavy favorite to win her fifth MVP, and it feels more likely than not that this won’t be her last. It’s going to take a lot to dethrone her.
Playoffs: Aces are looking to take home their fourth championship of the A’ja era. It’s hard to bet against the reigning champs, but their first-round matchup is Indiana, hungry for revenge after nearly upsetting them last year. With the devastating blow of Nalyssa Smith’s injury, the Aces need her to be nothing short of extraordinary. She has proven time and time again that she can do it, including in Game 1, but there is no margin for error here.
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