Ranking A'ja Wilson, Top 20 Players in 2025 WNBA Playoffs
The 2025 WNBA postseason is here, which means two things:
- We are going to be incredibly fed as basketball fans. These matchups should be awesome.
- It's a perfect time to revisit and drop another set of player rankings.
The premise is a simple one: We're ranking the 20 best players set to appear in this year's postseason. Naturally, that means players who appeared in the midseason version of the ranking—Kelsey Plum (11) and Paige Bueckers (12) just to name a couple—won't be featured in this one.
Ultimately, the criteria remains a mix of current skill-set value, production (this season weighs the heaviest, but body of work still means something), efficiency and impact. With down years, players with a history of productivity and impact get a little more grace than younger players who haven't yet proven it consistently.
Roster and role context obviously affect different players in different ways, and this list accounts for that.
And as a final reminder: No, I do not hate your favorite player who may be ranked lower than you'd like.
Let's get into the rankings, shall we?
All stats are current through games played on September 11. The stats are courtesy of WNBA.com (basic player stats/advanced team stats), PBP Stats (lineup combinations), or Second Spectrum (player or team tracking/play-type data) unless otherwise noted.
Honorable Mentions
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As always, you can't make everyone happy with ranked lists. Top 10? You must hate the player you'd hypothetically have 11th. Top 15? I guess you want them to drown in student loan debt, hater.
Even with an eight-team pool for this exercise, there are going to be (former) All-Stars and otherwise good players that just miss the cut. The league is really freakin' talented.
Before digging into the top 20, here are a few—just a few!—players I had a tough time leaving off and/or was sure people would ask about.
Veronica Burton: Seemingly the overwhelming favorite for the Most Improved Player award, Burton has been one of the best stories of this season. Beyond the feel-goods, she's a gnarly defender, heady driver and playmaker, and a much-improved shooter (40.6% on catch-and-shoot threes this season). I'm very excited to watch her and Courtney Williams duke it out this week.
Brittney Griner: Griner has settled into a bench role since returning from injury on August 10. In the 14 games since, she's averaging 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in [checks notes] 16.2 minutes. Griner can still take over games -- she just had a loud 17-point performance against the Sun to cap the regular season, for example -- but I couldn't justify slotting her back in the top-20 yet.
Ezi Magbegor: Magbegor remains one of the most electric defenders we have in the league. Everyone's familiar with her shot-blocking (2.2, 2nd) at this point, but her comfort on the perimeter is rare for someone her size. To that end: opponents have generated 0.84 points per possession (PPP) on trips featuring a drive defended by Magbegor, 11th among 79 players to defend at least 100 of them. I wish she had showcased more comfort offensively so I could justify having her higher.
Emma Meesseman: A mid-season addition to the Liberty, but a familiar face to the league. Meesseman remains one of the most versatile bigs we have in the league due to her ability to score and play-make from different platforms. Her placement here is part "you've been here half the year" and part "I am keeping an eye on the defense."
Brittney Sykes: Sykes remains one of the league's most prolific drivers and high-wattage defenders. She hasn't hit the same statistical high notes in Seattle (11.8 points, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals in 14 games) that we saw earlier in Washington, partly because she hasn't needed to with this supporting cast.
Gabby Williams: Williams just finished the best regular season of her career, one that featured an All-Star appearance and will surely end with an All-Defensive first team nod. It's a bummer that her three-point shooting cooled off following a career-best start, but her blend of driving, playmaking, game-shifting defense is incredibly valuable.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Alanna Smith, Big, Minnesota Lynx (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
Smith is a tremendous screener and finisher, effective passer, and a capable three-point shooter. More importantly, she's a DPOY-level defender due to her length, quickness, physicality and spatial awareness. She was the league's stingiest pick-and-roll defender (0.77 PPP) among high volume options (minimum 500 picks), an elite rim protector (46% FG allowed at the rim, 3rd among 39 players to contest at least 75 shots), and an invaluable communicator on the backline. The jury's out on if she'll actually win Defensive Player of the Year, but she'd be worthy if she does.
19. Bri Jones, Big, Atlanta Dream (Previous Rank: 17)
Since our midseason check-in, Jones has continued to score efficiently (12.3 points on 58.9 True Shooting), crush teams on the offensive glass (3.1, 2nd to Angel Reese's 4.9) and work hard to hold up her end of the bargain defensively (1.1 steals, 1.1 blocks). She remains a monster on the block: the Dream generated an absurd 1.13 points per possession on trips featuring a Jones post-up.
18. Chelsea Gray, Guard, Las Vegas Aces (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
Gray seems to be fully back as a shot-maker and magician-like playmaker. On top of that, she's played a big role -- figuratively and literally -- in the Aces' defensive turnaround during their 16-game winning streak. Opponents have generated 0.63 PPP on trips featuring a post-up against Gray during this run, second only to Jonquel Jones (0.52 PPP) among players to defend at least 20 of them. Jones has defended 21; Gray has defended 46.
17. Courtney Williams, Guard, Minnesota Lynx (Previous Rank: Honorable Mention)
Williams is quite the pick-and-roll maestro these days. She doesn't need much room to uncork pull-ups. If you overcorrect for those, she's adept at slipping in pocket passes or getting her Tyrese Haliburton on with jump-passes. She's quietly shooting 40.7% from three (on low volume) since the All-Star break -- something to keep an eye on this postseason.
16. Kahleah Copper, Wing, Phoenix Mercury (Previous Rank: Honorable/Injury Mention)
Copper is rounding back into form after missing all but six games before the All-Star break. Her transition play and half-court cutting remains electric, and you always have to be prepared for her drives. I've been especially encouraged by her energy defensively, as well as her three-point shooting (36.1% on 5.5 attempts). If Copper's able to complement her slashing with legitimate pull-up chops, the Mercury are going to be even more difficult to deal with this postseason.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Satou Sabally, Forward, Phoenix Mercury (Previous Ranking: 13)
Sabally is skilled enough to do just about anything, hence the Mercury putting her in positions to do a little bit of everything. I still believe she's at her best when the Mercury design quick-hitters for her off the ball to catch the ball in fruitful spots.
14. Rhyne Howard, Wing, Atlanta Dream (Previous Ranking: 20)
Howard's growth as a playmaker and defender (more about possession-by-possession consistency here) shouldn't go unnoticed. It also helps that Howard is starting to heat up from deep; she finished the regular season shooting 44.3% from deep on 10.2 attempts.
13. Kayla McBride, Wing, Minnesota Lynx (Previous Ranking: 15)
McBride has shot the leather off the ball from deep since we last checked in (41.5% on 6.5 attempts) and continues to defend at a high level. I'd also add, again, that she's having an underrated playmaking season. She narrowly missed out on setting her career-high in assists (3.5), but keep an eye on her passing chops when defenses are off-balance.
12. Skylar Diggins, Guard, Seattle Storm (Previous Ranking: 8)
As head coach Noelle Quinn works to find the right on-ball/off-ball balance for Diggins in light of how defenses have treated her, Diggins continues to pressure the paint and toss pinpoint dimes at a high level. On her best nights, not many guards -- heck, players -- can match Diggins' impact on both ends.
11. Kelsey Mitchell, Guard, Indiana Fever (Previous Ranking: 16)
What a year this has been for Mitchell, one that will certainly end in her first All-WNBA selection. She's a terrifying cover for defenses: she jets around off-ball, cuts if you overplay her, shoots the leather off the ball, and can get into the paint pretty much whenever she wants to. Beyond that, I appreciate the growth she's displayed as a playmaker and defender; to the latter point, she's really competed when tasked with tougher assignments this year.
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Nos. 10-6
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10. Jackie Young, Wing, Las Vegas Aces (Previous Ranking: 10)
The Aces don't go on this massive win streak without Young. After taking some time to calibrate to how defenses were treating her, she found a healthy blend of playmaking and scoring aggression. Add in her defense perking up during this run, and you're looking at one of the most well-rounded players in the league.
9. Sabrina Ionescu, Guard, New York Liberty (Previous Ranking: 5)
It's been a quieter second half of the season, largely due to the injury bug hitting Ionescu and those around her. Still, it's important not to overlook her growth as an interior scorer and defender this season. Her gravity from the perimeter still unlocks a healthy dose of playmaking windows, and thus amplifies those around her.
8. Jonquel Jones, Big, New York Liberty (Previous Ranking: Honorable/Injury Mention)
An ankle injury earlier in the season derailed what was likely to be an All-WNBA campaign for Jones. Since returning, she's averaging 14.3 points on 62 True Shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks. She remains a matchup nightmare because of her rare blend of size and skill; here's hoping we get a fully healthy (and engaged) playoff run from her.
7. Nneka Ogwumike, Big, Seattle Storm (Previous Ranking: 7)
Ogwumike has been tasked with more scoring this year, and has largely answered the bell. Taking 4.1 attempts from deep (4.8 since the All-Star break), she's nearly doubled her previous career high for a season (2.1 with the Sparks in 2019). She remains a Penta smooth operator on the block and a strong defender, though it's been interesting to watch her job responsibilities shift on that end.
6. Aliyah Boston, Big, Indiana Fever (Previous Ranking: 9)
Boston took on more ownership this season, on both ends, and shined while doing so. On a basic level, her 15-8-3 averages were only matched by A'ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas. Turn on the film, and you should be impressed by her decision-making as a hub, her dutiful screening and sealing (and the fouls she drew in either context), the control she played with in her creation attempts, and the nuance she displayed defensively.
No. 5: Allisha Gray, Wing, Atlanta Dream
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Previous Rank: 6
This year's numbers: 18.4 points (career high), 5.3 rebounds (career high), 3.5 assists (career high), 1.1 steals, 0.4 blocks, 1.8 turnovers
Efficiency stats: 50.9% on 2s, 38.4% on 3s, 79.9% on free throws; 59.8 True Shooting (+5.6 above league average)
Since last ranking (20 games): 18.5 points on 60.1 True Shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists (1.8 turnovers), 1.3 steals, 0.3 blocks in 33.5 minutes
Gray has continued to thrive within her new context in Atlanta. Defenders have been put in precarious situations all year. Duck under screens in an effort to limit her drives, and she'll burn you from deep. Attempt to take away her airspace, and she'll drive past or through you and generate high-quality looks at the rim.
As mentioned in the midseason piece, it's really hard to take on more responsibility and become a more efficient player, but that's exactly what Gray has done this year. On top of that, she's done a really good job of leveraging her scoring chops to open things up for her teammates. And she's been able to do this while still defending at a high level, mixing in her own dose of "unders" before re-attaching to ball-handlers and making their lives tough.
We have to wait a bit for the official announcement of All-WNBA teams, but Gray feels like a lock to be a first-team member.
No. 4: Breanna Stewart, Forward, New York Liberty
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Previous Rank: 4
This year's numbers: 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks, 1.9 turnovers
Efficiency stats: 52% on 2s, 24.1% on 3s, 83.7% on free throws; 57.0 True Shooting (+2.8 above league average)
Since last ranking (10 games): 15.2 points on 56.6 True Shooting, 5.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists (1.5 turnovers), 1.3 steals, 1.2 blocks in 26.4 minutes
Similar to Jones and Ionescu, Stewart has been directly and indirectly affected by the injury bug this year. The good news for the Liberty is that it appears Stewart is rounding into form at the right time: during their three-game winning streak to close the regular season, Stewart averaged 20.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.3 blocks.
Beyond the numbers, she looks more like herself. She's been moved around the board as a screener, post hub, and primary initiator. Her attacks have been decisive, and she's lived at the line (7.3 free throw attempts during the streak) because of it. While I remain concerned about her three-point shot overall, it's worth noting she's made a three in six straight games -- her longest streak of the season.
Defensively, Stewart is both unreasonably good and, dare I say, seemingly underrated on that end. She can be deployed on just about anyone and provide positive value; a thing you can only say about a handful of players in the league. Passes aren't safe in her direction, nor are errant shots at the rim. Her 4th quarter performance against the Storm a little over a week ago is some of the best defense that anyone has played all year long.
No. 3: Alyssa Thomas, Forward, Phoenix Mercury
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Previous Rank: 3
This year's numbers: 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists (career high), 1.6 steals, 0.4 blocks, 3.5 turnovers
Efficiency stats: 53.9% on 2s (career high), 0% on 3s, 69.2% on free throws; 56.9 True Shooting (+2.7 above league average)
Since last ranking (22 games): 15.5 points on 58.0 True Shooting, 10.0 rebounds, 8.9 assists (3.5 turnovers), 1.7 steals, 0.4 blocks in 31.5 minutes
We'll start with another number: 3,284.
That's the amount of touches Thomas logged this year, most in the WNBA. Between her transition pushes, handoff duties, post-hub work, and ball screen initiation, nobody spearheaded their team's offense quite like Thomas. It should come as no surprise, then, that she accounted for more points (1,491; 599 of her own, 892 via assists) than anyone else in the league.
Thomas has been a blast to watch this year. She directs so much traffic, doles out so much punishment with her drives, embarrasses so many defenders with her rejects and spins, and bullies so many offensive players with her combination of speed, strength, and anticipation.
She's been good enough to have multiple MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards under her belt; her only crimes are playing this well at the same time as other future Hall of Famers, and doing so in a way that deserves more attention and nuance than she's been given.
No. 2: Napheesa Collier, Forward, Minnesota Lynx
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Previous Rank: 2
This year's numbers: 22.9 points (career high), 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 steals, 1.5 blocks (career high), 2.1 turnovers
Efficiency stats: 57.1% on 2s (career high), 40.3% on 3s, 90.6% on free throws (career high); 63.6 True Shooting (+9.4 above league average)
Since last ranking (12 games): 22.3 points on 66.6 True Shooting, 6.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists (1.8 turnovers), 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks in 30.3 minutes
What an unbelievable season we've witnessed from Collier so far.
She became the 11th player -- 12 if you count six games of the legendary Seimone Augustus in 2009 -- to average 20 or more points with a True Shooting percentage of at least 60. She joined Elena Delle Donne in the 50-40-90 club, which is equally nuts considering her workload.
(As a brief aside, we really should evolve how we discuss 50-40-90 at some point, mostly because we should be using 2PT%-3PT%-FT% as our default shooting splits. It's 2025! As such, we probably need to recalibrate to 55-40-90 as the ultra rare efficiency standard. Predictably, that list is incredibly small.)
For a large chunk of the season, Collier was the rightful frontrunner for MVP. Her scoring versatility and efficiency was nearly impossible for teams to deal with. Her screening and quick decision-making helped amplified those around her. She was insanely good defensively, chewing up space with her switches and generally causing havoc when roaming off the ball. The Lynx absolutely blitzed teams with Collier on the floor.
It's unfortunate for her that the injury bug hit, because I'd be a little surprised if she ends up winning MVP at this point. At minimum, she should be a lock for first-team selections on the All-WNBA and All-Defensive teams.
No. 1: A'ja Wilson, Big, Las Vegas Aces
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Previous Rank: 1
This year's numbers: 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.3 blocks, 2.2 turnovers
Efficiency stats: 51.3% on 2s, 42.4% on 3s, 85.5% on free throws; 59.7 True Shooting (+5.5 above league average)
Since last ranking (22 games): 24.3 points on 61.4 True Shooting, 11.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists (2.0 turnovers), 1.6 steals, 2.2 blocks in 31.7 minutes
To quickly borrow from Aces head coach Becky Hammon, you almost run out of ways to describe A'ja Wilson.
After shaking off an uncharacteristic start, she's been nothing short of spectacular. Her second half numbers are already listed, but it's also worth noting what she's done during the Aces' 16-game winning streak: 26.1 points on 62.5 True Shooting, 12.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 2.3 blocks.
Watching Wilson dissect defenses -- sometimes accepting help to kick off swing-swing sequences, other times attacking before the defense can even load their help -- has been a joy to watch. Screening for Wilson in the corner to get her catches in the middle of the floor continues to be fruitful offense. Her ball screen and handoff chemistry with Jackie Young have proven darn-near impossible for defenses to deal with.
Speaking of the defense, Wilson has been phenomenal there in different ways. Her rim protection remains superb, and her off-ball anticipation has allowed her to rack up deflections and steals. Because she's been tasked, or rather, she tasks herself with different matchups, opposing offenses have to be more intentional about where and how they want to attack.
The last month-plus has been a very loud reminder of who the best player in the league is. It may have also secured Wilson's league-record 4th MVP, though we'll have to wait a bit to see if that's the case. If nothing else, another All-WNBA and All-Defensive first team selection will be added to her resume.
.jpg?w=480 "Wings Ogunbowale Basketball")
