Ranking the Top 25 WNBA Players Ahead of the 2026 Season
The 2026 WNBA regular season is almost here, so let's rank the league's top stars following a busy offseason that saw more player movement than ever before.
Our criteria is based on a mix of current skill-set value, production, efficiency and impact on winning, while also accounting for our projections moving forward. For example, Caitlin Clark wasn't playing at a top-10 level in 2025 due to injury, but we expect her to return to form in 2026.
With that said, let's get into the rankings.
Nos. 21-25
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25. Skylar Diggins, Chicago, PG
Diggins, who turns 36 in August, had one of her most impressive shot-making seasons of her career in 2025, hitting over 40 percent of her pull-up jumpers while also providing passing and on-ball defense.
However, after a strong start in May and June, her production dipped noticeably down the stretch. She was still a quality point guard, but not at the All-WNBA level she was tracking towards early in the year.
Over her last 20 regular season games, Diggins shot 37.3 percent on half-court rim attempts—an 11 percent drop from her first 23 games, per Synergy.
With Diggins now a year older in Chicago, do we see more of the early-season peak or the late-season decline?
24. Gabby Williams, Golden State, SF
Williams is a crazy athlete who checks every box you want from a wing defender. She finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2025 and may win the award before her career is over.
As good as her defense is, Williams' offensive shortcomings have been the biggest issue—especially in the playoffs. She opened last season on a hot streak from three, but by midseason it had leveled back out, and her finishing has never been consistent, either.
Regardless of what she adds as a scorer, the passing and defensive versatility still give her top-25 value.
23. Satou Sabally, New York, SF
Sabally is one of the toughest players to rank. She's incredibly skilled at 6'4" with great athleticism, ball skills and shooting talent. But when she doesn't give you much as a defender and her shot creation is as streaky as it is, the result is a wide range in what she provides on a night-to-night basis.
At times Sabally will be the fourth option in New York, so it's possible with that lower usage and more catch-and-shoot opportunities, she can recapture the efficiency she had in 2024 in Dallas.
22. Kahleah Copper, Phoenix, SG/SF
Copper missed the first 11 games of the season with a knee injury, so it took some time for her to settle in. Once she did, she looked like the dominant scorer who earned her All-WNBA nod in 2024.
She's one of the five best athletes in the league, which makes her a constant problem in transition and a tough cover in the half court when she's finishing through contact or creating tough shots.
21. Veronica Burton, Golden State, PG
Which version of Burton do we see in 2026: the steady, solid starting guard from the beginning and end of last season, or the player who looked like a superstar in July and August?
If her midseason breakout is real, this No. 21 ranking could end up looking too low. Still, some regression as a shooter feels likely after she hit 44 percent from three over that 23-game stretch.
Even if that comes down, she brings enough value through her elite defense, floor game, foul drawing and rebounding to remain a clear top-25 player.
Nos. 16-20
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20. Angel Reese, Atlanta, PF/C
Reese is now in Atlanta after a blockbuster trade, and she has the talent around her to fully maximize what she does on both ends.
She is one of the greatest rebounders in WNBA history and one of the best frontcourt passers in the sport. She is a lethal grab-and-go threat with the ball skills to burst to the rim in transition or find a teammate with a hit ahead pass, and she's also a very good defender with the versatility across multiple coverages.
However, the finishing technique and shooting remain question marks. Reese shot just 47 percent on half-court rim attempts and 23.7 percent on jump shots overall last season.
19. Alanna Smith, Dallas, C
Smith, the reigning co-Defensive Player of the Year, signed a long-term deal with Dallas this offseason and will be central to reshaping a Wings defense that has long ranked near the bottom of the league.
Offensively, she's going to be Dallas' fifth option in most lineups. She still provides value through floor spacing, cutting, and passing, but her shooting is very volatile, particularly from three and at the free-throw line (47.7% in 2025).
There are real questions about whether her offensive dip continues outside of Cheryl Reeve's system in Minnesota, or if she can return to her 2024 form, when she shot 39.8 percent from three and 75 percent from the line.
18. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta, SF
Howard's efficiency hasn't improved much at all through her first four seasons, but she keeps getting better everywhere else. She's a valuable passer on the wing, and her defensive consistency has elevated her into an All-Defensive caliber player capable of guarding wings, making plays in help and roaming as a weakside rim protector.
The issue, however, remains the consistency. At her best, Howard looks like the best shooter in the league, but a tendency to settle for tough shots has prevented her from shooting over 33 percent from three each of the last two seasons. She's also far too poor of a finisher for a player with her athleticism. This can mostly be attributed to her struggles playing through contact and early ball pickups. If Howard figures either of those things out, she could break into the All-WNBA tier.
17. Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas, PG
Gray may be past her athletic prime at this point, but she still has a ton of juice as a playmaker and shot creator. Las Vegas also found success with her as a post defender in the second half of last season, leveraging her feel for the game and strength.
Opponents shot just 32.1 percent on post-ups defended by Gray, the second-best mark in the league behind only her teammate A'ja Wilson, per Synergy.
16. Bri Jones, Atlanta, C
Jones is a monster interior scorer, the second-best offensive rebounder in the league and a highly effective screener who remains far too underrated as a defender. She's a limited vertical athlete, but offers that with elite processing, strength and positioning.
This ranking reflects what she showed in 2025. Jones suffered a meniscus tear in late January and was initially expected to return by the start of the 2026 season, though her current timeline is now uncertain. It's also her second major lower-body injury in four years.
Nos. 11-15
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15. Kayla McBride, Minnesota, SG
You can always rely on McBride in big games. Across six playoff games in 2025, she shot 47.6 percent from three on 7.6 attempts per game. She's one of the best movement shooters in the world, and uses her off-the-dribble game to punish closeouts. On top of that, she's a reliable wing defender.
With Minnesota's free-agency losses and Napheesa Collier out with injury to start the season, there's a real chance McBride has her most productive year since joining the Lynx in 2021.
14. Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles, PF
Ogwumike returns to Los Angeles after two seasons in Seattle and remains a premier talent at nearly 36. She's a true technician as a scorer at all three levels, with unbelievable feel for the game.
She has compensated for some athletic decline by becoming the best shooter of her career, doubling her previous high in made threes in 2025.
One question is her fit alongside Dearica Hamby in the frontcourt. How does that pairing hold up defensively, especially with Ogwumike likely taking on more minutes at the five at this stage of her career? She's still a solid team defender, and some of her minutes will come next to Cameron Brink, but Brink's foul issues make that combination difficult to rely on consistently.
13. Sabrina Ionescu, New York, PG
Ionescu's 2025 season was a mixed bag. There's no doubt her driving process improved significantly, as did her finishing at the rim. However, her jumper fell off a cliff, with her hitting just 23.4 percent of her pull-up threes—the second-worst mark among all high-volume shooters.
Even so, Ionescu still commands serious shooting gravity, which creates real value for her offense. But given her inconsistency in both the regular season and playoffs, it's difficult to rank her any higher than this entering the season.
12. Jonquel Jones, New York, C
When Jones is at her best, there aren't many better players in the world. Her blend of size and skill at 6'6" is overwhelming. Jones can space the floor, attack off the bounce, finish around the rim and anchor a top defense when she's fully engaged.
The question has always been consistency. She's had stretches where she coasts, so the key is whether she can sustain that level of aggressiveness on a nightly basis. An ankle injury in 2025 may have played a role in that last season.
11. Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles, PG/SG
Plum was the driving force behind Los Angeles' top-six offense in 2025. Her rim pressure, shot creation, screening and off-ball shooting make her one of the most dangerous scoring threats in the league.
Adding Ariel Atkins to the backcourt should ease some of Plum's defensive burden, while the offensive firepower of Atkins and Ogwumike gives Los Angeles even more punch on that end.
10. Jackie Young, SG/SF
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Age: 28
2025 Stats: 16.5 PTS, 4.5 REB, 5.1 AST, 47.5% FG
Young is just an elite offensive player. Her slashing, shot creation and 3-point shooting are all high level, and she pairs it with strong playmaking. Young's shot profile from last season speaks for itself:
What keeps her from ranking higher is that she's likely best suited as a No. 2 option rather than a true primary. Young's defense is good enough, but it hasn't been at the same level as it was in 2023.
9. Aliyah Boston, C
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Age: 24
2025 Stats: 15.0 PTS, 8.2 REB, 3.7 AST, 53.8% FG
Boston signed a four-year, $6.3 million contract extension this offseason with Indiana—the largest contract value in league history, and for good reason, too.
She continues to improve every season, earning her first All-WNBA selection in 2025. Boston is an elite post scorer, an excellent screener and the best playmaking center in the league. She thrives in the short roll, can draw two from the post and find her teammates anywhere and will even occasionally run inverted pick-and-rolls.
Defensively, she's as reliable as they come. She's great in drop coverage, an exceptional communicator on the backline and her size and strength consistently disrupts opposing post scorers.
8. Kelsey Mitchell, SG
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Age: 30
2025 Stats: 20.2 PTS, 1.8 REB, 3.4 AST, 45.6% FG
Last season, Mitchell led Indiana to its first semifinals appearance in a decade and pushed Las Vegas without Clark.
Pound for pound, she's one of the best scorers ever. Mitchell's efficient from everywhere and in any context, with the speed to make it nearly impossible to stay in front of with the ball, and she never stops moving off it.
She's been remarkably consistent as a jump shooter throughout her eight-year career. Outside of her rookie season, Mitchell's ranked above the 75th percentile on either pull-up or catch-and-shoot jumpers every year.
Her limitations as a defender and passer are the only things keeping her from ranking higher.
7. Breanna Stewart, PF
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Age: 31
2025 Stats: 18.3 PTS, 6.5 REB, 3.5 AST, 46.1% FG
At this point, Stewart may no longer be the perennial MVP candidate she's been for her entire career, considering her steep decline as a shooter. Still, she impacts the game at a superstar level everywhere else.
Stewart's an elite downhill driver and a better foul drawer than she's ever been, combined with plus-passing, rebounding and otherworldly defensive versatility.
Though the shooting has been a significant issue each of the last two seasons. In 2025, her 23.7 percent mark on catch-and-shoot threes was the third-worst among the 80 qualified players.
6. Allisha Gray, SG/SF
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Age: 31
2025 Stats: 18.4 PTS, 5.3 REB, 3.5 AST, 45.1% FG
The game is about getting buckets, and Gray did that and more in 2025, making the leap to become the best two-way wing in the game.
In first-year head coach Karl Smesko's modern offense, her tough shot-making, spot-up shooting, cutting and transition impact all elevated Atlanta's offense to new heights.
What also stands out is Gray's dribble control. She may not be the most creative ball-handler, but she's an incredibly advanced driver, with the ability to contort her body and rise into shots from anywhere inside the arc.
Gray is also a solid defender, consistently making an impact both on and off the ball. She had a fringe All-Defense case last season.
5. Paige Bueckers, PG
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Age: 24
2025 Stats: 19.2 PTS, 3.9 REB, 5.4 AST, 47.7% FG
Do you want a guard who's one of the best isolation scorers ever? One who processes the game like a supercomputer? Or maybe one who might be the most well-rounded off-ball offensive threat ever?
You're in luck! They're all Paige Bueckers.
Last season, she had the fifth-most efficient self-creating scoring season in WNBA history, trailing only Diana Taurasi (2018), Chelsea Gray (2022), Cappie Pondexter (2010) and Sue Bird (2011), per Synergy.
If she can get to the rim more often and start hitting pull-up threes at a higher clip, look out. It might not happen in 2026, but bet on Bueckers winning an MVP within the next five years.
4. Caitlin Clark, PG
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Age: 24
2025 Stats: 16.5 PTS, 5.0 REB, 8.8 AST, 36.7% FG
The last time we saw a healthy Clark, she finished fourth in MVP voting as a rookie, averaging 19.2 points and 8.4 assists. After missing most of last season due to multiple injuries, she's expected to return to superstar form—potentially even as a serious MVP contender.
Her open-court playmaking, pick-and-roll passing and pull-up shooting already rank among the best ever, but the next step in her offensive development is improving her left hand and diversifying her shot profile.
Head coach Stephanie White has already talked ad nauseam about wanting to get Clark off the ball more this year. Through her first two seasons, nearly 70 percent of her three-point attempts have come off the dribble. Adding Raven Johnson and Ty Harris should help create more catch-and-shoot opportunities and improve her efficiency across the board.
Clark's defense will also be a work in progress, of course, but she has the size and hand-eye coordination to be serviceable if she has more attention to detail on a possession-by-possession basis.
3. Alyssa Thomas, PF
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Age: 34
2025 Stats: 15.4 PTS, 8.8 REB, 9.2 AST, 53.2% FG
Now 34 years old, Thomas remains the league's best floor-raiser and one of the most unique superstars in basketball history. It's remarkable for a 6'2" player to make an impact at this level without any semblance of a jumper, due to torn labrums in both shoulders.
Thomas' blend of athleticism, strength and processing speed makes her dominant on both ends. She is a dynamic passer who consistently bends defenses from anywhere on the floor, excelling out of virtually any setup.
Thomas also had a career scoring season in 2025, due to improved spacing and a significant increase in pick-and-roll usage compared to her final year in Connecticut.
Phoenix's championship window likely closed with Sabally's move to New York, but Thomas' presence alone makes them a near lock for the playoffs.
2. Napheesa Collier, PF
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Age: 29
2025 Stats: 22.9 PTS, 7.3 REB, 3.2 AST, 53.1% FG
Collier is coming off one of the most efficient offensive seasons in WNBA history while also continuing to be a game-wrecking defensive chestpiece.
In 2025, she shot 57.1 percent from two, 40.3 percent from three and 90.6 percent from the free-throw line—a combination only matched by Kara Lawson in 2012.
This offseason, Collier underwent surgery on both ankles after injuries sustained in 2025. She will miss the start of the season, but a return to on-court activities is expected in early June.
If her movement isn't significantly impacted in the short term, there's little reason to expect anything less than an All-WNBA first-team level of play.
1. A'ja Wilson, C
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Age: 29
2025 Stats: 23.4 PTS, 10.2 REB, 2.3 BLK, 50.5% FG
There's no question about the No. 1 spot. Wilson is arguably the best player in the world, and arguably the greatest in league history.
She's an all-time shot creator, post scorer, play finisher, rim protector and rebounder who continues to improve as a passer and 3-point shooter by the season.
Whether she is seeing three defenders on every touch or not, she consistently punishes teams as a scorer and facilitator. There's simply nothing you can do to stop her on either end.
