With the WNBA regular season winding down, the potential award winners are beginning to emerge. The strong performances of the Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream are reflected in the nominations, as they currently stand as two of the league’s top teams. Recent performance variations among the Liberty, Storm, and Mercury add intrigue to both the awards race and the playoff picture as the final weeks unfold.
Most teams have more than ten games remaining, suggesting that these early estimations may undergo significant changes. Here’s a preliminary look at the leading candidates, contenders, and longshots for each award:
Sixth Woman of the Year
To qualify for this distinction, a player must have entered more games as a substitute than as a starter. The prevalence of injuries across the league has resulted in several top candidates starting in some games throughout the season.
Frontrunner: Natisha Hiedeman, Minnesota Lynx
As one component of the “Stud Budz” duo, Hiedeman has provided an energetic boost from the bench for Minnesota. The Lynx’s remarkable regular season resulted in a playoff berth clinched this week. Hiedeman’s role has been pivotal, topping all bench players in both points and assists.
Contender: Naz Hillmon, Atlanta Dream
While Hillmon did start in five games during Brittney Griner’s injury absence, she has predominantly contributed valuable depth to Atlanta off the bench. Among reserve players, she ranks closely behind Hiedeman in scoring and Jessica Shepard of Minnesota in rebounding.
Dark horse: Dana Evans, Las Vegas Aces
Despite some inconsistencies in the Aces’ season, Evans has emerged as a positive force. Ranking third in points and second in assists among bench players, she has offered a consistent presence for Las Vegas.
Most Improved Player
Is there any more exciting thing than watching a player with the ability to coordinate everything and improve her game? MIP is one of the most enjoyable awards to follow.
Frontrunner: Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries
In 2016, Thornton was fired from the San Antonio Stars (now Las Vegas Aces) and did not play in the WNBA that season. Nine years later, after stints in Dallas and New York, where she showed steady growth, Thornton came into her own as one of the stars of the Golden State Valkyries. She made her first All-Star Game, averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds per game. Unfortunately, her season ended on July 16 with a knee injury, but she still is deserving of the award.
Contender: Brittney Sykes, Seattle Storm/Washington Mystics
Sykes, often called “Slim,” has long been recognized for her strong defensive play, but her offensive game has seen considerable development in 2025. Her scoring average of 20.5 points per game represents a five-point increase from the previous season. Now with Seattle following a trade deadline transaction, she has an opportunity to aid the Storm in their efforts to stabilize their performance and vie for a playoff spot.
Dark horse: Naz Hillmon, Atlanta Dream
Yes, Hillmon is being considered here. She has exhibited progress across all statistical measures, notably introducing an outside shooting element to her repertoire. Hillmon attempted just three 3-pointers last season. This season, she has successfully converted 39 of 118 attempts (33%), contributing additional versatility to the Dream on the court.
Rookie of the Year
In this particular category, the distinctions of frontrunner, contender, and dark horse hold slightly less significance. All three individuals achieved All-Star status in their debut season and each has a reasonable chance of securing the ROY title.
Frontrunner: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
As the top overall draft pick and a standout player for UConn during their NCAA championship campaign, Bueckers entered the league with enormous expectations. She has effectively navigated these expectations, demonstrating star-level performance during her first season, despite absences due to a concussion and back issues. Bueckers leads all rookies with averages of 18.4 points and 5.4 assists per game.
Contender: Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics
Selected fourth overall in the 2025 draft out of USC, Iriafen has had an immediate effect on the league. She is averaging 8.3 rebounds per game, which ranks fifth in the W, and adding 12.5 points per game. Her game, along with Sonia Citron’s, made a huge turnaround in the Mystics’ fortunes this season.
Dark horse: Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
Selected just ahead of Iriafen, Citron brought experience from her time at Notre Dame that prepared her for the WNBA. She immediately showed she was ready for the big time. She is scoring 14.8 points per game and has brought her quick 3-point shot with her to the WNBA, including this year’s All-Star 3-point contest.
Defensive Player of the Year
For DPOY, players need more than big statistics. They need to show a kind of intimidation to their opponents — almost an air of “I dare you.”
Frontrunner: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson has won this award twice, and her defense this season means she could make it a trifecta. She leads the league in blocks per game — her blocks are of the soul-snatching variety — and is second in rebounds per game.
Contender: Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
Alyssa Thomas is so good at every aspect of the game, but it’s her defense that makes her so fun to watch on the court. She has averaged 9 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game, but what she’s really good at is suffocating opponents so they can’t even attempt a shot.
Dark horse: Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm
Williams was named an All-Star for the first time this season, and her defense is a big reason why. No ball-handler is safe when Williams is around, as she leads the league in steals with 82 (the next closest player, Dearica Hamby, has 51).
Most Valuable Player
A wonderful problem the WNBA continues to have is that so many players could contend for this award, so limiting this group to just three is always a challenge. Thomas and Wilson will likely (deservedly) show up in the top five of MVP voting, too.
Frontrunner: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
The only question about Collier winning the MVP is if missing games due to her ankle injury should penalize her, and the answer is no. The Lynx are 27-5 with a sizable lead on the rest of the league, and they’re in that position in large part because of Collier. She leads the league in scoring with 23.5 points per game, plus 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.6 blocks, and she does all that while fouling less than three times per game. She’s a special player having a special year.
Contender: Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Going to turn this part over to Gray’s teammate Hillmon, who spoke about why Gray should be an MVP contender:
“There’s no fluff. There’s no fake about it.” Hillmon told Yahoo Sports recently. “But it’s not just her scoring, like the attention that she draws so her teammates could be open. Her passing has gotten better; defensively, she’s been an All-Star for our team.
The Dream’s jump this season has been thanks to Gray’s jump as a player, posting career-highs in points (19), rebounds (5.6) and assists (3.8). She’s a major reason why the Dream have overtaken the Liberty for the second-best record in the league.
Dark horse: Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
Fresh off a WNBA championship and Olympic gold medal in 2024, Ionescu has found even more opportunities to show the value to her team in 2025. She’s averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, but her contributions are about more than numbers. She’s continually stepped up as the Liberty have dealt with injuries, ensuring the team has stayed near the top of the league.
