Updated Top 25 WNBA Player Rankings Ahead of 2026 Playoffs

With just one week left in the WNBA regular season, it's time for one final update to our top 25 player rankings ahead of the playoffs.

These rankings are based entirely on what players have done this season. Availability matters, too. Players who have missed significant time and played fewer than 50 percent of their team's games won't be ranked, which leaves players like Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier out of consideration.

We also place a lot of value on two-way impact. Offensive production matters, but so does what a player brings defensively and how they contribute to winning basketball. Though, of course, if you're having a historic season on one side of the ball, you can make up for this.

With that said, let's get into the final rankings.

Nos. 21-25

Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Courtney Williams

25. Carla Leite, Portland, PG

Last: 25

At just 22 years old, Leite has already done something no other player in league history has. She's generating 22.4 points per game out of pick-and-roll, according to Synergy Sports.

Leite is almost impossible to keep in front of ball screens. She gets two feet in the paint at-will, whether it's blowing by her defender for an easy layup, drawing fouls at a historic rate or forcing the defense to help and opening up passing windows. Her assist rate also jumped from 22.4 percent to 42.5 percent this season.

The next step for Leite is building on the shooting improvements she made this year by increasing her 3-point volume—specifically off the catch. It would also be nice if she could make some strides defensively, even if she's unlikely to ever be a positive on that end.

24. Kiki Iriafen, Washington, PF

Last: Unranked

Iriafen is the third-best player on a team that is eight games over .500 in just her second season, and she deserves a ton of credit for that. Iriafen dominates on the glass, runs the floor hard, scores efficiently around the rim and is a very good team defender.

Before the Olympic break, Iriafen had a five-game stretch with at least 18 points and 10 rebounds—tied for the third-longest such streak in WNBA history and the longest by a player under 25 years old.

What keeps Iriafen from ranking higher is her struggles as a primary rim protector and as a shooter from almost everywhere on the floor.

23. Marina Mabrey, Toronto, SG

Last: Unranked

A year ago, Mabrey was firmly in the low-efficiency, shot-chucker bucket in Connecticut. Now, in Toronto, she's put together the most efficient pull-up 3-point shooting season (40.4% on 4.4 attempts per game) by any player not named Kelsey Mitchell.

Toronto's season was plagued by injuries, and even when healthy, the team struggled to beat good opponents. But Mabrey has flourished under Sandy Brondello, putting together a career year as a driver, playmaker, shot creator and movement shooter.

22. Courtney Williams, Minnesota, SG

Last: 9

It's been fun to watch Williams back in her natural scoring role next to Olivia Miles. Her mid-range scoring has been elite as always, while the playmaking relief allows her to really lock in on the ball defensively.

Though, Williams hasn't been quite as effective since Napheesa Collier returned, averaging just 10.9 points on 41.4 percent shooting from the field over her last 12 games. That has pushed her down a bit and out of All-WNBA consideration.

21. Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles, PF

Last: 20

Last month, Ogwumike announced she would retire from the WNBA at the end of the season, but if she wanted to keep playing, she could continue performing at an All-Star level for a couple more years.

Ogwumike is averaging 17.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists on 60 percent true shooting. She's shot over 50 percent from two in every season of her career—a feat nobody else has accomplished—while also developing into a serious shooter over the back half of her career.

Nos. 16-20

Stephen Gosling/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

Sonia Citron

20. Veronica Burton, Golden State, PG

Last: 14

Burton is the best two-way point guard in the WNBA, and it's not much of a debate. She's elite defensively, shoots threes at a solid level, draws fouls and almost always makes the right decision with the ball.

Burton is averaging 6.4 assists to just 0.8 turnovers per game since the All-Star break, including a two-game stretch against Connecticut and New York where she recorded 20 assists without a single turnover.

19. Sonia Citron, Washington, SG

Last: 24

Citron's 3-point shooting has regressed by more than 10 percent since her rookie season, but that hasn't stopped her from improving in almost every other area.

She's an outstanding driver, reading angles incredibly well, changes speeds and uses ball pickups at perfect spots to score efficiently around the rim. Citron's also a great cutter with an innate feel for off-ball movement and high-level wing defender who has taken on more lead-guard responsibilities in the process.

Citron has nearly doubled her pick-and-roll volume, going from 5.5 pick-and-rolls per game in 2025 (0.87 points per possession) to 9.7 this season (0.96).

18. Jonquel Jones, New York, C

Last: 21

Jones is the best shooting center in women's basketball history. This season, she's knocking down nearly 40 percent of her threes on a career-high 4.7 attempts per game.

On top of that, there aren't many players at her size who can handle the ball like she can. Head coach Chris DeMarco has found creative ways to use Jones in inverted ball screens, and it's tough to stop.

What keeps Jones from being an All-WNBA player like she was in 2024 (and the many years prior) is her defensive decline and inconsistent effort on that end. New York's defensive rating is 3.9 points worse per 100 possessions with her on the court compared to when she's off.

17. Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix, PF

Last: 13

It's been a disastrous season for the Phoenix Mercury, but make no mistake: Thomas is still very good at basketball. She's averaging 14.2 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.4 assists per game on 51.2 percent shooting from the field.

However, she's taken a step back defensively and hasn't been quite as dominant as a ball-screen creator, evident by her 6.1 percent drop from 2025 in efficiency out of pick-and-roll.

16. Jessica Shepard, Dallas, C

Last: 10

There are questions to be had about Shepard's defense and impact on playoff basketball, but don't let that cloud what she's done for the Dallas Wings this season.

She's one of the most unique stars we've ever seen, with her combination of passing, rebounding, screening and open-court creation at 6'4". Shepard is the perfect offensive fit next to Paige Bueckers, allowing her to maximize her premier off-ball skill set.

Nos. 11-15

Tyler Ross/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

Angel Reese

15. Angel Reese, Atlanta, PF/C

Last: 16

Reese isn't your conventional star, but she impacts winning in so many different ways. She's the best rebounder in WNBA history, a lock for an All-Defensive team and an elite transition scorer who consistently turns defense into offense.

Is she an efficient interior scorer? No. Can she shoot? No, absolutely not. Yet, she makes everyone around her better and shows up when it matters most.

Atlanta's defense is 14.2 points better per 100 with her on the court compared to when she's off, while only being marginally worse offensively (-1.9).

14. Natasha Howard, Minnesota, PF

Last: 8

Howard went back to play under Cheryl Reeve, got to run ball screens with rookie Olivia Miles and somehow discovered the Fountain of Youth.

At 35 years old, she's the best play finisher in basketball, ranking first in 2-point field goals out of pick-and-roll (72) and third as a cutter (53). Howard is also an elite defender, with versatility in ball screens and the athleticism and length to be just as impactful in help.

13. Aliyah Boston, Indiana, C

Last: 17

It might be tough for Indiana to get three All-WNBA players if they finish outside of the top three, but Boston is right there in the mix.

She went from shooting 26.2 percent from three (17 made) over her first three seasons to 40.8 percent (40 made and counting) this year. There's not much she can't do offensively now.

Boston hasn't been quite as elite defensively this year, but there's no doubt she's the most valuable defender on the Fever. Opponents shoot 6.6 percent worse at the rim with Boston on the court, compared to when she's off.

12. Allisha Gray, Atlanta, SG

Last: 7

This might seem low, but it has more to do with other players leveling up their games than any decline from Gray. You're really just splitting hairs in the No. 7-13 range.

This season, Gray has posted career highs in points (19.3) and 2-point percentage (54.4%), while also being a well-above-average wing defender.

But for as good as she is as an interior scorer, her shooting hasn't been at the 2025 level. Against playoff teams, she's shooting 31.9 percent from the mid-range and 30.1 percent from three. Those numbers jump to 65.2 percent and 37.2 percent, respectively, against non-playoff teams.

11. Gabby Williams, Golden State, SF

Last: 12

Williams' developmental arc since entering the WNBA has been truly insane. She was once a defense-only specialist who was scared to take threes, and now the defense is still just as elite while she's become someone teams have to respect from beyond the arc.

Golden State has so much depth that Williams only plays 24.8 minutes per game, yet she still averages 14.3 points. If you adjust that to per-36 minutes, she's at 20.8 points, right there with Allisha Gray (21.1) and Jackie Young (21.0).

Williams over Gray in these rankings might be a hot take, but Golden State did go 3-0 in the regular-season matchups against Atlanta, with Williams outplaying Gray head-to-head.

10. Kayla McBride, SF, Minnesota Lynx

David Sherman/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

2026 Stats: 18.1 PTS, 3.1 REB, 2.2 AST, 41.7% 3P

Last: 21

It's completely insane that McBride wasn't an All-Star. She's the best movement shooter in the league and a very good driver who uses her gravity as a downhill creator and cutter. On top of that, McBride should be in the All-Defense conversation.

She's on pace to become the third player in WNBA history to shoot 50 percent from two, 40 percent from three and 90 percent from the free-throw line while averaging at least 1.5 steals per game in a season, joining Napheesa Collier in 2025 and Brandy Reed in 2000.

9. Shakira Austin, C, Washington Mystics

G Fiume/Getty Images

2026 Stats: 16.9 PTS, 9.4 REB, 2.5 AST, 48.9% FG

Last: Unranked

In our last player rankings article in June, Austin was left out of our Top 25. Now, we're making the case for her to be a second-team All-WNBA player. So, what changed?

It's not like Austin was having a bad first half of the season. Washington was winning games, and she was one of their most impactful players. But the turnovers were an issue, and her efficiency was inconsistent from game to game.

Since the start of July, though, there's a real case that Austin has been the best player in the league outside of A'ja Wilson. She's averaging 19.8 points and 9.6 rebounds on 51.9 percent shooting from the field while anchoring the No. 2 defense over that 22-game stretch.

The way Austin moves and attacks downhill at her size is insane, so Washington has started to weaponize these skills as a pick-and-roll creator. Since the All-Star break, she's ran 2.3 ball screens per game for 1.22 points per possession, compared to 1.4 for 0.54 PPP prior to that.

8. Jackie Young, SG, Las Vegas Aces

David Becker/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

2026 Stats: 18.9 PTS, 4.4 REB, 6.6 AST, 48.3% FG

Last: 19

If it weren't for Jackie Young's slow start over her first seven games (10.1 points on under 35 percent shooting), she'd be averaging 20.8 points and 6.8 assists on 59 percent shooting from two and 41.4 percent from three.

The shot creation is elite, the finishing is unreal, she has the best floater in the league and her ability to create advantages as a passer is high-level, too. But the entire body of work and high-level two-way impact still matter, giving Howard (two-way impact) and Bueckers (body of work) a slight edge for us.

7. Rhyne Howard, SF, Atlanta Dream

Joe Boatman/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

2026 Stats: 18.3 PTS, 3.8 REB, 3.6 AST, 41.0% FG

Last: 5

Howard is one of the best shooters in the league, an unquestioned top-two wing defender in the world, an improved 2-point scorer and almost never turns the ball over.

Here's the list of players in WNBA history to post at least a 3% steal rate, 2% block rate and shoot 35% from three on at least two attempts per game:

• Rhyne Howard, 2026
• Tamika Catchings, four times – finished top five in MVP every season
• Sheryl Swoopes, 2000 – MVP

Pretty good company.

6. Paige Bueckers, PG, Dallas Wings

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

2026 Stats: 20.5 PTS, 4.1 REB, 5.9 AST, 50.6% FG

Last: 3

It only took Bueckers until her second season to lead Dallas back to the postseason, thanks to her outrageous offensive impact.

She might go down as the greatest mid-range scorer in basketball history, on top of being one of the best off-ball movers and processors we've ever seen. Oh yeah, she's also taking pull-up threes now and knocking them down at a near 40 percent clip.

It's crazy, but Bueckers' biggest flaw is herself. Her passiveness at times is puzzling, and her willingness to get to the rim has gotten worse, if anything. As a rookie, 18.4% of her shots in the half court came at the rim—that number is down to just 12.7% in 2026. We've also seen more fouls than ever before in the WNBA, yet Bueckers' free-throw rate has only increased by 5 percent.

5. Caitlin Clark, PG, Indiana Fever

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

2026 Stats: 22.5 PTS, 3.9 REB, 8.4 AST, 45.6% FG

Last: 11

Clark is the engine behind the greatest offensive team in WNBA history.

She sees everything as a pick-and-roll and transition creator, and her gravity allows her to create more efficient looks for her teammates than anyone else in the league. And now, she's added a legitimate floater and the pull-up jumper has started to fall consistently, too. 

Since the start of July, Clark is shooting 49.1 percent on pull-up twos (28-57) and 43.6 percent on pull-up threes (48-110).

When Clark has the pull-up three going, teams have to sell out even harder on her jumpers. Well, but she's got the in-between game going, too, and the finishing is elite. When all of that is on, there's no answer and that's been the case for a couple months.

4. Kelsey Mitchell, SG, Indiana Fever

Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

2026 Stats: 25.0 PTS, 1.7 REB, 2.8 AST, 51.3% FG

Last: 15

Kelsey Mitchell is the best small-guard scorer in basketball history (under 5'9" in the WNBA and 6'2" in the NBA). There's an argument for Kelsey Plum, Jalen Brunson, Allen Iverson and 2017 Isaiah Thomas, but none of those players can score from everywhere and in every play type quite like Mitchell.

Here's the full picture of her 2026 season:

• 57.1% effective field-goal percentage out of PnR — No. 2 in the league
• 65.7% in transition — No. 2
• 60.7% off handoffs — No. 2
• 60.7% off screens — No. 1
• 72.7% off cuts — No. 1
• 50.7% on spot-ups
• 56.9% in isolation — No. 6

I see the argument for Clark over Mitchell because of her impact in more areas, but Mitchell has been the better player in the biggest games. Her 62.7 percent true-shooting is nearly 10 percentage points higher than Clark against playoff teams.

3. Breanna Stewart, PF, New York Liberty

Jeff Haynes/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

2026 Stats: 20.4 PTS, 8.1 REB, 3.2 AST, 46.5% FG

Last: 4

Breanna Stewart was once a 37.5% 3-point shooter over a four-year stretch. Now, she's shooting 25% from three, and she's still a top-five player in the world.

That's because there are so many other ways for her to impact the game. She's an elite transition player, cutter, foul-drawer and passer who can score as both a roller and ball-handler out of ball screens. 

Stewart also dominates on the glass and can defend almost any position. She's one of five players in the league averaging at least a steal and block per game.

2. Olivia Miles, PG, Minnesota Lynx

Bailey McLean/Getty Images

2026 Stats: 19.7 PTS, 4.6 REB, 6.0 AST, 49.5% FG

Last: 2

Miles is the best player on the best team in the league… as a rookie. If A'ja Wilson weren't the greatest player of all time, Miles would probably be the second rookie to win MVP in the WNBA and the fourth to win in basketball history.

She's already the most dynamic passer and driver in the world. Miles can make any pass from virtually any spot on the court, while getting to the rim whenever she wants and finishing with either hand better than any guard in the league.

She's not always guarded like the 40 percent 3-point shooter she is, but she's making defenses pay when they go under screens. Over her last 19 games, Miles is shooting 42.2 percent from three on 5.0 attempts per game, compared to 32.8 percent on 3.4 attempts over her first 19.

Just keep in mind, this is the worst she's going to be.

1. A'ja Wilson, C, Las Vegas Aces

Stephen Greathouse/National Basketball Association via Getty Images

2026 Stats: 26.0 PTS, 9.4 REB, 3.2 AST, 52.3% FG

Last: 1

Wilson is the best player in the WNBA, and there's a larger gap between her and the field than any other major sports league in the United States (and maybe the world).

Wilson is averaging 26.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.0 blocks on 54.3 percent shooting from two and 39.8 percent from three.

There's nothing she can't do. Wilson can score on the interior, create her own shot in the mid-range, hit catch-and-shoot jumpers, pass, rebound and defend at a high level. 

Las Vegas is 25.9 points better per 100 possessions with Wilson on the court than when she's off. That's the difference between the best team in the league when she plays and the worst team when she sits.