Wings' Jessica Shepard Wins 2026 WNBA MIP Award, Full Voting Results

After a breakout 2026 season, Dallas Wings veteran forward Jessica Shepard has been rewarded for her efforts.

The WNBA announced on Wednesday that Shepard has been named the 2026 Most Improved Player:

Shepard earned 29 out of 74 votes to win the award, finishing ahead of Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin (25) and Portland Fire guard Carla Leite (11). The full voting breakdown is as follows:

After spending the first five seasons of her WNBA career with the Minnesota Lynx, Shepard signed a two-year deal with the Wings over the offseason. The move down south quickly paid dividends for the Nebraska native.

Shepard hadn't averaged more than 8.1 points in any of her five years in Minnesota, but she found her groove in Dallas. The 30-year-old started all 42 games for the Wings, averaging 14.5 points and ranking second in the league with 11.1 rebounds while also adding 5.3 assists. She shot an efficient 57.5 percent from the field, ranking fifth in the league. She earned her first career All-Star selection for her improvements this year.

Shepard's impressive campaign helped create a massive turnaround for a Wings team that finished near the bottom of the league in each of the past two seasons. After winning a combined 19 games in 2024 and 2025, Dallas went 27-17 this season and earned the No. 7 seed in the playoffs.

Shepard's continued ascent could help the Wings remain playoff contenders for years to come. She has proven to be a reliable contributor alongside star guard Paige Bueckers, so Dallas should be optimistic about its future.