Updated Top 25 WNBA Player Rankings Sees Olivia Miles Break Out, Caitlin Clark Slide
We're about a quarter of the way through the WNBA season, which means it's time to update our top 25 player rankings.
At this point in the season, the exact order isn't nearly as important as it will be later in the year. The gap between a lot of these players is incredibly small, and one great week could move someone up five spots.
These rankings are based entirely on what players have done this season. Availability also matters. Players who have missed significant time, like Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu and Bri Jones won't be ranked in this edition. We also aren't ranking Chennedy Carter who has only played in 33 percent of Las Vegas' minutes this season.
With that said, let's get into the rankings.
Nos. 21-25
1 of 13
25. Carla Leite, Portland, PG
Last: Unranked
Portland is off to a 7-9 start, and Leite has been the engine behind it. At just 21 years old, she's already generating more points per game out of pick-and-roll than any player in WNBA history (19.5), per Synergy Sports.
Leite gets downhill whenever she wants. Her burst puts constant pressure on the rim, forcing defenses into rotation and creating easy looks for everyone else. She's also started knocking down 3s at a more consistent rate, even if the volume is still fairly low.
24. Sonia Citron, Washington, SG
Last: Unranked
If you told me Sonia Citron would be averaging 16.6 points through the first 11 games of her second season, and that she'd be doing it largely because of her driving ability, I wouldn't have believed you.
She's shooting 72.1 percent at the rim with a 57.8 percent free-throw rate, using her feel out of ball screens, timely cuts and ability to attack closeouts to constantly get downhill.
Now that she's at the top of opposing scouting reports, though, things have gotten tougher. With Washington's point guard situation limiting the quality of her looks, Citron just hasn't gotten as many clean catch-and-shoot opportunities. Her usage rate hasn't increased, either.
23. Brittney Sykes, Toronto, SG
Last: Unranked
Brittney Sykes is one of the most explosive athletes the WNBA has ever seen, and that burst makes her almost impossible to keep out of the paint. She's still a positive defender, too, even if that work hasn't been quite as consistent with her increased offensive workload.
One thing worth watching is how her scoring style continues to look against the best teams. In three games against Minnesota, Atlanta and New York, her free-throw rate is just 10 percent. In her other 11 games, it's 54 percent.
22. Jonquel Jones, New York, C
Last: 12
After a slow start that featured some inconsistent defensive effort, Jonquel Jones has looked a lot better lately. Her combination of floor spacing, ball skills and passing have been impressive as always, combined with more energy on the other end.
During New York's six-game winning streak, Jones is averaging 15.3 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 46.9 percent from three.
21. Kayla McBride, Minnesota, SF
Last: 15
McBride's shot hasn't quite been at the 40 percent level we've seen the last couple of seasons, but her impact still feels just as important.
Her value as a ghost screener and floor spacer is a huge part of what makes Minnesota's offense work. McBride constantly creates driving lanes and opens up space for everyone else, regardless of whether she's hitting threes or not. Defensively, she's drawn the toughest wing assignment most nights and has been a big part of the league's No. 1 defense.
Nos. 16-20
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20. Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles, PF
Last: 14
Ogwumike's impact doesn't jump off the screen the way it did in her prime, but at 35 years old she's still averaging 16.2 points and 9.2 rebounds on outstanding efficiency.
The biggest development to extend her All-Star-level impact has been her jumper. Two years ago, just 15 percent of her field-goal attempts came from three. That number has nearly doubled to 29 percent this season, and she's knocking them down at a 45 percent clip.
19. Jackie Young, Las Vegas, SG
Last: 10
Young is the hardest player to rank because her season has been all over the place. She had a two-game stretch against Atlanta and Los Angeles where she scored a combined zero points, then immediately followed it by averaging 20.6 points and 8.0 assists over her next seven games.
This ranking is based entirely on what we've seen so far (and game-to-game consistency plays into that), which lands Young at No. 19.
18. Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas, PG
Last: 17
Chelsea Gray doesn't have the burst to consistently create separation off the dribble anymore, but the passing is still game-breaking and her shot-making stretches remain some of the most fun basketball you'll ever watch.
Just look at last week. Gray tied the WNBA single-game record with nine made 3-pointers on June 11, then followed it up with six more threes a couple days later to help Las Vegas beat Minnesota.
17. Aliyah Boston, Indiana, C
Last: 9
Even though Boston might be a real floor spacer now, the rest of her game hasn't quite been at an All-WNBA level like we've come to expect. She's shooting a career-low 51.3 percent from two, turning the ball over more than ever and has dealt with foul trouble almost every game.
That said, she's still had some dominant stretches, and it's fair to wonder how much her right lower leg injury has contributed to the inconsistency. Because she's not moving at 100 percent, it affects her screening usage and some of what the Fever can do defensively with her in space.
16. Angel Reese, Atlanta, PF/C
Last: 20
Reese isn't your typical star, but unconventional doesn't mean overrated. She's off to the best offensive rebounding start (78) through 13 games in WNBA history, and her defense has taken a leap to All-Defensive-caliber with fewer creation responsibilities in Atlanta.
Though, her weaknesses are mostly the same as they've always been. Her finishing style limits her efficiency around the rim, while her loose handle leads to turnovers and caps what she can do as a driver.
Nos. 11-15
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15. Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana, SG
Last: 8
Mitchell is one of the most versatile scorers the WNBA has ever seen. At her best this season, she's looked unstoppable. Just look at her 30-point performance against Dallas or the 25-point game on insane efficiency in Indiana's win over Atlanta.
However, overall, Mitchell has been a good shooter, but not the elite one we're used to seeing. And when you don't provide much value as a defender or passer, it's hard to rank her much higher until the jumper gets back to its usual level.
14. Veronica Burton, Golden State, PG
Last: 21
Burton is pretty easily the best two-way point guard in the league. It starts on the defensive end. She's strong, athletic and cerebral, giving her real value both on and off the ball.
Offensively, she's a great passer who rarely turns it over, draws fouls at an elite rate and a pretty reliable shooter. The only thing holding Burton back is her scoring consistency. When she isn't getting foul calls, her finishing process can get pretty erratic.
13. Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix, PF
Last: 3
Thomas is still an exceptional basketball player. She's averaging 14.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.1 assists while continuing to make a huge impact defensively.
That said, with her now being 34 years old, the defense probably won't reach all-world levels again, and her scoring has been even quite inconsistent lately. Add in Phoenix's disappointing start, and that's enough to slide Thomas down to No. 12.
12. Gabby Williams, Golden State, SF
Last: 24
Everyone knows what Williams brings defensively, but when you're also shooting 38.4 percent from three on 5.6 attempts per game, there's a real All-WNBA case to be made.
The question is whether the shooting is here to stay. We saw something similar last year when Williams shot 36.5 percent from three through the end of June before falling to 24.2 percent over the rest of the season. If this version of her jumper is real, she's in the middle of the best season of her career.
11. Caitlin Clark, Indiana, PG
Last: 4
Clark has strengths that make her one of the best offensive engines basketball has ever seen. At the same time, her weaknesses are what's keeping her out of our Top 10 right now.
Let's start with the good: the passing is ridiculous. Whether she's making shots or not, Clark creates elite offense with her playmaking alone. She's also taken a step forward as a driver, getting to the free-throw line more often and mixing in floaters. And as an off-ball shooter, she's been as dangerous as ever.
The issues come on the other end and in her shot selection. Clark has never been a value-added defender, but this season she's been targeted in isolation more than any player in the league and has gotten into foul trouble because of it. Offensively, she's shooting just 25 percent on pull-up threes despite leading the league in attempts.
10. Jessica Shepard, Dallas, C
4 of 13
2026 Stats: 13.7 PTS, 11.6 REB, 5.7 AST, 59.2% FG
Last: Unranked
The Shepard offensive hub experience has been a blast to watch, and her skillset is a perfect fit next to Paige Bueckers. She can grab and go off a rebound, play out of dribble handoffs, hit cutters and finish efficiently around the rim. It's a big reason Dallas has become one of the league's best offenses.
Furthermore, Dallas is 2-0 against Las Vegas this season, and Shepard has averaged 18.5 points, 17.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists between those two games. Simply unreal.
The bigger question is how all of that translates to the playoffs. Shepard's skillset is perfect for the regular season, but there are still concerns about her scoring limitations and rim protection. Through more than 400 minutes, Shepard still hasn't recorded a block despite being 6'4".
9. Courtney Williams, Minnesota, SG
5 of 13
2026 Stats: 16.9 PTS, 5.5 REB, 4.1 AST, 49.5% FG
Last: Unranked
Courtney Williams has thrived in her natural role as a scoring guard next to Olivia Miles, and the Minnesota Lynx deserve three players in the top 10.
Williams is probably the most "ethical scorer" in league history, if you care about that sort of thing. She's rarely going to get to the free-throw line and doesn't spend much time hunting fouls. Instead, she'll just rise up and knock down pull-up jumpers over you whenever she wants.
Through 13 games, Williams has attempted 111 pull-up twos. That's 50 more than Paige Bueckers, who ranks second. Somehow, she's still shooting 52.3 percent on those shots. The only player ahead of her is Kelsey Plum, who has taken 83 fewer pull-up twos.
8. Natasha Howard, Minnesota, C
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2026 Stats: 17.8 PTS, 7.4 REB, 3.0 AST, 64.6% FG
Last: Unranked
After a couple seasons as a high-volume shot chucker in Dallas and a pretty good year in Indiana, Natasha Howard suddenly looks like an All-WNBA player again. Are we sure she didn't find the Fountain of Youth? But seriously, Howard has been outstanding so far.
Instead of asking her to take threes or tough fadeaway jumpers, Reeve has simplified her role down to what she does best: set screens, roll and cut hard, grab every offensive rebound and defend as hard as possible. To her credit, Howard bought into all of that.
The Miles-Howard ball screen has been the best action in the league through the first month and change. It's been so unstoppable that I went back and hand-tracked every possession myself. Here's what I found:
Yeah... I don't need to dig through film of the greatest duos in WNBA history to tell you that's probably the most efficient two-player action the league has ever seen. Obviously *that level* efficiency isn't sustainable, but it's still crazy for it to be that good over a 13-game stretch.
7. Allisha Gray, Atlanta, SG
7 of 13
2026 Stats: 19.6 PTS, 3.7 REB, 2.2 AST, 45.9% FG
Last: 6
Atlanta's offense is at its best when Allisha Gray is getting downhill, and she does it in many different ways. She's elite at attacking closeouts, cutting and using handoffs or ball screens to catch the ball with an advantage. From there, Gray can change directions on a dime, contort her body in the air and almost never loses the ball.
This season, she's shooting 45 percent on pull-up twos, 38.5 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s and 58.8 percent at the rim.
On the defensive end, Gray is very disciplined with the ability to switch on the perimeter, wall off drivers and make timely rotations.
6. Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles, PG
8 of 13
2026 Stats: 26.6 PTS, 2.2 REB, 6.9 AST, 55.5% FG
Last: 11
Plum is having the best scoring season we've ever seen from a guard, and she's doing it from every area of the floor. Just look at these numbers:
She's impossible to guard right now. If defenders sell out to take away her jumper, she'll change speeds, get downhill and finish at the rim. If they don't close out hard enough, she's drilling pull-ups at a crazy level.
The only thing keeping Plum from ranking even higher is her defensive issues. She's not the only weak defender on Los Angeles' roster, but the Sparks rank last in defensive rating, and they've been even worse with Plum on the floor.
5. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta, SF
9 of 13
2026 Stats: 18.9 PTS, 3.7 REB, 3.0 STL, 42.2% FG
Last: 18
The Rhyne Howard All-WNBA leap is finally here. If Atlanta keeps winning, don't be surprised if she gets some second or third-place MVP votes, too.
The biggest difference in Howard's game has been her shot profile. In Year 2 under Karl Smesko, just 8.6 percent of her field-goal attempts have come from the mid-range. That's down 5.4 percentage points from last season and 11.2 points from 2024.
Instead of settling for tough pull-up jumpers, she's turning more of those looks into 3s. It also helps that she's having the best shooting season of her career from deep at 37.8 percent.
But we're probably burying the lede here because Howard has also been ridiculous defensively. She has 36 steals through 12 games, the most by any WNBA player since Sancho Lyttle in 2016, according to Across the Timeline.
4. Breanna Stewart, New York, PF
10 of 13
2026 Stats: 19.9 PTS, 9.0 REB, 2.6 AST, 44.2% FG
Last: 7
Imagine telling someone in 2022 that Breanna Stewart would soon be one of the league's worst jump shooters. They'd probably assume you were joking, or that she'd completely fallen off. Neither is true.
Stewart's jumper may be gone, but virtually every other part of her game remains elite. She can initiate ball screens, cut, screen, roll and punish defenders in the post, all while getting to the free-throw line at the highest rate in the WNBA.
Defensively, she's still one of the best in the league. Her size, length and mobility allow her to impact every area of the floor, giving New York the versatility to toggle between coverages and throw out a zone that has shut down opposing offenses.
3. Paige Bueckers, Dallas, PG
11 of 13
2026 Stats: 19.0 PTS, 3.7 REB, 5.8 AST, 51.4% FG
Last: 5
Paige Bueckers is laughably good at basketball. She's the best off-ball mover the WNBA has ever seen, one of the greatest shot creators in league history and processes the game like a supercomputer. Dallas looks like a legitimate playoff team largely because of her, making Bueckers a real MVP candidate.
Before the draft, we compared Bueckers to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander without the foul-baiting. Through the first part of her career, that comparison tracks. The one lingering question in her offensive profile is her passiveness at times.
That shows up most clearly in her free-throw rate. Bueckers still struggles to consistently get all the way to the rim and draw fouls. This season, just 15.8 percent of her half-court field-goal attempts have come at the rim—a slight decline from her rookie year. If she starts generating more rim pressure and free throws, another level of offensive dominance is on the table.
2. Olivia Miles, Minnesota, PG
12 of 13
2026 Stats: 18.1 PTS, 5.0 REB, 5.9 AST, 54.5% FG
Last: Unranked
Olivia Miles is already firmly in the MVP conversation as a rookie. It sounds crazy, but she's been that good.
She's the best pick-and-roll playmaker in the world, capable of making virtually any pass from any angle. Miles gets to the rim whenever she wants, combining elite burst and ball-handling with a rare ability to read and react to whatever the defense throws at her.
Her scoring has been just as impressive. Miles is averaging 9.6 points per game on 63.9 percent shooting from two out of ball screens, per Synergy Sports. If the season ended today, both of those marks would be all-time records.
Defensively, Cheryl Reeve is getting more out of Miles than anyone has since she tore her ACL in 2023. She's still not an elite defender, but she's no longer a liability on and off the ball. Miles is locked into the Lynx's defensive scheme and not giving up blow-bys as easily.
It's hard to imagine a basketball genius like this peaking just 15 games into her rookie season. If anything, this is the worst version of Olivia Miles we're likely to see, and that should be a scary thought for the rest of the league.
1. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas, C
13 of 13
2026 Stats: 25.6 PTS, 9.0 REB, 2.2 BLK, 52.4% FG
Last: 1
There's no question about the No. 1 spot. Wilson is the best player in the world, and arguably the greatest in league history. Even when defenses send multiple defenders her way on nearly every touch, she continues to dominant as both a scorer and facilitator. There's simply nothing you can do to stop her on either end.
What makes Wilson's start even more remarkable is that she's hitting over 50 percent of her threes on higher volume, and this still doesn't feel like the best version of her game. She's shooting just 34 percent on pull-up mid-range jumpers—her lowest mark since 2021. Once that increases, she somehow becomes even more of a nightmare for opponents.
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