The 20 Best WNBA Players Right Now (Updated)

Team: Las Vegas Aces
Last Ranking: 17
2026 Stats: 12 PPG 3.3 REB 6.7 AST 44%/36%/93%
The Las Vegas Aces’ floor general, a three-time WNBA champion, is one of those players whose winning attributes don’t really come across in the box score. In a recent ESPN survey, WNBA general managers named Gray the league’s best point guard, the player they most trusted to take a winning shot, the best passer, highest basketball IQ, and the current active player who’d make the best head coach. —TG

Team: Washington Mystics
Last Ranking: —
2026 Stats: 16.8 PPG 3.8 RPG 4.4 APG 48%/34%/87%
Citron, a runner-up in the 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year voting, upped her game during her sophomore season with the Washington Mystics. The Notre Dame product improved her defense and playmaking during a season in which she teamed with Kiki Iriafen and Shakira Austin to lead the Mystics to the postseason. —TG

Team: Dallas Wings
Last Ranking: 13
2026 Stats: 14.5 PPG 11.1 REB 5.3 AST 57%/9%/67%
Shepard, a 6-foot 4-inch forward out of Notre Dame, became a star in season six, her first with the Dallas Wings after signing as a free agent this spring. The 2026 Most Improved Player of the Year winner averaged career highs in points, rebounds, and assists, and was a triple-double threat each time she stepped onto the floor. Was also named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week twice this season. —TG

Team: New York Liberty
Last Ranking: —
2026 Stats: 14.5 PPG 9.1 RPG 2.6 APG 49%/39%/81%
Pop quiz: What does Jonquel Jones have in common with Giannis Antetokounmpo? They’re the only people to have won Most Improved Player and Most Valuable Player in their leagues’ history. They also both own a championship ring and a Finals MVP award. Jones, a 6-foot 6 center, is the best Stretch 5 in WNBA history and still has the ability to take over games on both ends of the court even in season 10. She was the Liberty’s second-best player in their upset series win over the Minnesota Lynx in the 2026 postseason. —TG

Team: Washington Mystics
Last Ranking: 16
2026 Stats: 17 PPG 9.5 RPG 2.6 APG 48%/31%/72%
One of the main reasons the Mystics earned a playoff berth for the first time since 2023 was the play of Shakira Austin. A runner-up for Most Improved Player, the fifth-year center almost departed from Washington after signing a three-year $3.57 million offer sheet with the Toronto Tempo. The Mystics wisely matched and Austin averaged career highs in points and rebounds and also established herself as one of the best defenders in the WNBA. —TG

Team: Atlanta Dream
Last Ranking: 12
2026 Stats: 17.7 PPG 3,8 REB 3.7 AST 40%/35%/86%
Rhyne Howard, the other half of the Atlanta Dream’s backcourt duo, delivered a career-defining season in 2025 filled with milestones. She earned her third consecutive All-Star selection and set a franchise record while tying the WNBA record with nine three-pointers in a single game. Howard also reached 2,000 career points and, in June, became the fastest player in league history to hit 300 career three-pointers, doing so in just 114 games—further establishing herself as one of the league’s premier scorers. —BS

Team: Phoenix Mercury
Last Ranking: 11
2026 Stats: 14.3 PPG 7.8 REB 8.5 AST 52%/33%/68%
A six-time WNBA All-Star, Thomas had her best season in Year 12. The now 34-year-old forward is one of the most versatile player in the league and also its best playmaker. In her first season in Phoenix, Thomas led the league in assists, broke the season assist record, and recorded more triple-doubles (eight) than the rest of the league combined. It was enough to get the Mercury to the WNBA Finals, where they were swept by the juggernaut Aces. Though Phoenix opened the season primed for another deep playoff run, they struggled out the gates and missed the postseason. —TG

Team: Atlanta Dream
Last Ranking: 10
2026 Stats: 19 PPG 3.5 REB 2.7 AST 46%/33%/81%
Allisha Gray, long known for her dynamic two-way play, put the league on notice. Last season marked a true breakout for the Atlanta Dream guard, as she fully stepped into her own. The 2017 Rookie of the Year delivered the best statistical campaign of her career, highlighted by setting a franchise record with 773 points in a single season. She also helped lead the Dream to the No. 3 seed in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs before they were eliminated by the Indiana Fever. —BS

Team: Indiana Fever
Last Ranking: 9
2026 Stats: 16.1 PPG 8 REB 3 AST 52%/40%/81%
Aliyah Boston has been a major force behind the Indiana Fever’s success, even as the team battled multiple injuries. Just three years into her career, Boston has already stepped into a significant leadership role. She led the league in field goal percentage for part of the season at 59.7% and finished with an impressive 53.8% overall. She also became the fastest player in franchise history to reach 1,000 rebounds. The 3x All-Star is making history off the court as well. This offseason, she signed a four-year, $6.3 million extension with the Fever—the richest total salary in league history to date. —BS

Team: Atlanta Dream
Last Ranking: 15
2026 Stats: 16.4 PPG 12.1 RPG 2.8 APG 45%/19%/72%
The former Bayou Barbie is the most polarizing player in the W. Is she a dominant rebounder who controls the boards? Yes! Does she need to improve her shooting and finishing around the rim? Yes! Is she one of the most versatile defenders in the league? Yes! Does she still need to cut down her turnovers? Yes! Reese, a three-time All-Star and the 2026 Defensive Player of the Year, has quietly had the best season of her career and continued her strong play in the postseason. —TG

Team: Las Vegas Aces
Last Ranking: 8
2026 Stats: 18.9 PPG 4.4 REB 6.8 AST 48%/38%/92%
Jackie Young, long known for her quiet but lethal playing style, stepped into a stronger leadership role last season. As one-third of the Las Vegas Aces core, Young helped steady the team after an early .500 start, using her efficiency and consistency to guide them on another championship run. By season’s end, she added yet another title to her résumé, becoming a three-time WNBA champion. Young, who just turned 29, has firmly cemented her place among the league’s elite, building an impressive legacy in the past eight years. Young rebounded nicely following a slow start to the season. —BS

Team: Golden State Valkyries
Last Ranking: 14
2026 Stats: 14.4 PPG 3.3 REB 2.2 AST 40%/34%/73%
Defense has been Gabby Williams’ calling card dating back to her days at UConn. Last season, as a member of the Seattle Storm, she led the WNBA in steals and finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. She’s been even better this season with the Golden State Valkyries, the surprise team in the WNBA. Thanks to Williams, the Valkyries sport the best team defensive rating in the league. But Williams has also emerged as one of the top two-way players around. She’s taken more responsibility on offense this season and is averaging a career high in points and 3-point percentage. —TG

Team: Indiana Fever
Last Ranking: 6
2026 Stats: 22.3 PPG 4 REB 8.3 AST 44%/36%/85%
Clark—the biggest attraction in the WNBA and its greatest lightning rod— rebound from a disappointing 2025. Soft tissue injuries (quad and groin strains) limited her to 13 games last season and she struggled during her time on the court. Clark’s turnover issues as a rookie carried over into Year Two and though it’s a small sample size, her shooting percentage dropped during her sophomore campaign. Still, Clark has the potential to be the best player in the WNBA. Despite leading the league in assists as a rookie, she’s an underrated playmaker. She has unlimited range on her jumper, can get to the bucket with ease and, more impressively, has the ability to finish at the rim. All of her skills were on display during a virtuoso 45-point 10-assist performance against the Storm in mid-July. Defense and turnovers are still an issue, however. —TG

Team: Minnesota Lynx
Last Ranking: 5
2026 Stats: 16.8 PPG 6.9 REB 2.6 AST 50%/44%/85%
After missing the first two months of the season following offseason surgeries on both ankles, Phee is back. Surprisingly, the Minnesota Lynx didn’t miss a beat without her in the lineup thanks to runaway Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles and throwback seasons from vets Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Natasha Howard. But the Lynx never really gelled following Collier’s return and crashed out of the playoffs in the first round against the Liberty. —TG

Team: Indiana Fever
Last Ranking: 4
2026 Stats: 24.7 PPG 1.7 REB 2.8 AST 50%/ 45%/ 85%
Kelsey Mitchell has established herself as one of the league’s most prolific scorers. She became the first player in Indiana Fever history to average over 20 points per game and capped off the season with 11 career 30-point performances, surpassing franchise legend Tamika Catchings. With the Fever battling injuries and star guard Caitlin Clark sidelined for more than half the season, Mitchell stepped up in a major way, leading Indiana to a No. 6 seed and a semifinal run. The strong play continued into 2026 as Mitchell set a WNBA record for most points scored in a season. Will be a free agent this offseason. Watch this space. . . —BS

Team: Minnesota Lynx
Last Ranking: 2
2025 Stats: 19.8 PPG 4.7 REB 6 AST 49%/38%/87%
The most exciting player in the WNBA this season is a 5-foot 10-inch rookie out of Notre Dame with a throwback look and a futuristic game. Miles is quick and smart, relying more on guile than explosive athleticism. She’s a master of pace and tempo with elite court vision—there are shades of Luka in her game—and she can score at all three levels. Perhaps most impressive: She’s winning. Despite Napheesa Collier missing the first 27 games of the season, the Lynx finished with the best record in the WNBA. But they suffered a shocking first round exit against the Liberty, Miles, the unanimous Rookie of the Year and MVP runner-up, picked a bad time to play the two worst games of her young career, finishing with more turnovers than field goals made in the Liberty’s two-game sweep of Minnesota. —TG

Team: New York Liberty
Last Ranking: 3
2026 Stats: 20.8 PPG 8.3 REB 3.3 AST 47%/25%/84%
Breanna Stewart built an elite résumé long before entering the WNBA. Since being drafted in 2016, it’s only grown stronger. Now a three-time champion, two-time league MVP, two-time Finals MVP, and eight-time All-Star, her list of accolades continues to expand. During the 2025 season, Stewart remained a cornerstone for New York, delivering another dominant year and reinforcing her leadership on both ends of the floor. After a first-round playoff exit last season, she’s entering the new campaign focused on bringing another championship back to the city. An MVP performance in the recently completed FIBA World Cup was a reminder that Stewie is one of the best big-game players in the world. She backed that up with a strong postseason, averaging 27 points per game during the Liberty’s run to the semifinals. —BS

Team: Las Vegas Aces
Last Ranking: 1
2026 Stats: 26.2 PPG 9.4 REB 3.2 AST 52%/40%/ 86%
The only five-time MVP in WNBA history is the undisputed best player in the game and the greatest player in league history. Wilson, 30, is a three-level scorer, who can pound in the paint, step back and pop a three, and get to the line with ease. That she plays her best in big moments is another of her superpowers. Wilson’s sublime offensive game sometimes overshadows her prowess on the defensive end. But she’s a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and near the top of the league leaders in rebounds, blocks, and steals. —TG