As the regular season ends, the WNBA sits in the middle of what appears to be hotly contested awards races. The drama begins at the top, where the reigning MVP A’ja Wilson And Breanna Stewart are once again the leading candidates for the title of most valuable player in the league.
The media (including two writers here at Athleticism) will decide this trophy, but wouldn’t it be fun to know what the players who regularly team up with and against Wilson and Stewart think? And not just about the best player in the league, but on a variety of topics related to the present and future of the WNBA.
Athleticism has been surveying the league’s players for several months for our WNBA Confidential series, collecting their thoughts on players, coaches and franchises, as well as the issues facing the league – and yes, we will move on to expansion more late this week. Later this month, we’ll share candid thoughts from WNBA general managers on the future of the league. For this survey, approximately a third of WNBA players participated, making a total of 46 players, including players from all 12 teams. They were granted anonymity so that they could be as frank as possible.
Not every player answered every question, but you’ll get a good idea of the players’ perspective.
As expected, the choice essentially fell on two players who have won three of the last five MVP awards and three of the last five WNBA championships. Stewart came out on top, but this was a category where an either/or option could have proven most illuminating.
Even if Alyssa Thomas is the third player in all MVP conversations, the fact that she didn’t come in third in this exercise suggests a distinction between how players perceive value and overall talent.
In their own words
• “What can’t (Stewie) do?” »
• “Stewie or A’ja.” They’re both so good it’s a toss-up. We just played Stewie, so I’m going to say Stewie.
• “Stewie is the best player in the world, just skill-wise. »
• “Stewie is just phenomenal. … I just think his size and athletic ability is phenomenal. If someone doesn’t say Stewie, then they’re just not aware of it. »
• “(Wilson is) the most dominant and has given up some things to allow her teammates to be better, and I think that’s the definition of being the best player.”
• “A’ja Wilson is having an MVP year right now, that’s for sure.”
The general consensus is that a South Carolina player will be the best in the league in five years, but there’s almost an even split on who Dawn Staley coaches. Wilson will be 32 during the 2028 season, essentially the same age as Sylvia Fowles when she won MVP in 2017, alongside Tamika Catchings in 2011. Although Wilson will be older than the usual top player of the WNBA, her trajectory since entering the league gives no indication that her performance will decline anytime soon.
However, Aliyah Boston is on his toes with a rookie season that far surpasses Wilson’s first year in terms of efficiency. Boston was the first All-Star recruit since 2014 and lived up to all the hype that preceded him in his college career, just like Wilson. It would be surprising if Boston wasn’t considered an MVP in 2028, let alone a favorite.
GO FURTHER
Will Aliyah Boston join other Indianapolis sports greats? It will take patience with fever
In their own words
“Aliyah Boston because she will be baby Syl (Sylvia Fowles).”
Players were asked to nominate someone who is not a teammate.
In their own words
• “I could build a team around (Allisha Gray). … She’s still the Robin, but I feel like Allisha is the type of person where if you put her in this (role) of Batman, she would really pop.
• “To be as good as her, (Satou Sabally) we don’t talk about it enough.”
• “(Alysha Clark‘s) has been on a lot of really good teams, and I feel like every time she plays a role, she does it perfectly.
• “People understand that Kelsey Mitchell is really good, but I still think it hasn’t been talked about enough. And I think it’s because she’s on a team that historically hasn’t done well, but Kelsey Mitchell is a dude.
• “Betnijah is like our (Rebekkah) Brunson of this generation, but like a smaller version. She does all the dirty work, gets the open looks, takes them and knocks them down, then plays all over the court (defense). I don’t think we’ve seen that in anyone other than Brunson.
• “I think (Napheesa Collier) is underrated in terms of MVP conversation.
• “I think Sloot is the engine of New York, and I just think his ability to get all these stars on the ball and keep them all on the same page is a lot harder than people think .”
• ” I do not think so (Tiffany Hayes) is getting the recognition she’s supposed to get, and I think she’s been robbed of a few All-Stars over the course of her career, that’s for sure.
Four years ago, when Athleticism conducted its first survey of WNBA players, Diana Taurasi was the clear favorite in this category, with 35 percent of the votes. His dominance here has only increased. As we learned while collecting stories about Taurasi to honor her 10,000 point milestone – when she was lovingly described as a “demon” – players feel comfortable using wild language to describe, and that’s because she explains it first.
GO FURTHER
Ten stories where she takes on Diana Taurasi as she nears a career points milestone
In their words
• “You’re joking, I hope? Is that just a question? (Response from a Taurasi voter.)
• “Kelsey tries, but Diana.”
• “My rookie year, she was talking about my Pumas. She says: “Are these things going to last into the second half? »
• “I turned against her, the ball was on the other side of the field and I was still pressed against her. She said, “Aren’t you going to be useful, Rook?” I said to myself: “No”. She said, “Alright, that’s a smart move. »
• “Diana is definitely the best talker because she talks to everyone and their mom. When it’s not towards you, it’s hilarious. Diana is ruthless.
• “KP talks about what she does – not in a bad way, but she’s also a good talker. »
— The Athletic James Boyd contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: The WNBA Confidential Series is part of a partnership with Michelob ULTRA. Athleticism maintains complete editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review articles before publication.
(Illustration: Eamonn Dalton / Athleticism; Photos of Aliyah Boston and A’ja Wilson: Pepper Robinson / NBAE via Getty Images, David Becker / NBAE via Getty Images)
