WNBA Player Rankings: The Top 50 Players Heading Into 2026 As the WNBA prepares to kick off its 30th season with a new collective bargaining agreement in place and the addition of new franchises in Portland and Toronto, a comprehensive ranking of the league’s top 50 players has been released. The list, which excludes rookies and unsigned players but includes those expected to return from injuries within the first two months of the season, highlights the league’s most impactful athletes ahead of the 2026 campaign. The New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream lead the rankings with six players each, while the Las Vegas Aces, Chicago Sky, and Los Angeles Sparks each have five representatives. The rankings open with A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, who remains the league’s dominant force. The four-time MVP and defending champion secured her fourth regular-season MVP award in 2025, leading the Aces to their third WNBA title. Wilson’s 23.4 points per game, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 2025 underscore her continued excellence, including a 50.5% shooting efficiency from the field and an 80% free-throw accuracy. Her performance solidified her position as the league’s most consistent player. Alyssa Thomas of the Phoenix Mercury follows in second place, showcasing her elite playmaking abilities. The forward led the WNBA in assists per game in 2025, breaking the league’s single-season record with 357 assists. Her 15.4 points, 9.2 assists, and 8.8 rebounds per game reflect her role as a dual threat, while her eight triple-doubles—more than the rest of the league combined—highlight her dominance. Thomas’s ability to elevate her team’s offense while maintaining defensive impact makes her a key figure in the rankings.#las_vegas_aces #wnba #phoenix_mercury #new_york_liberty #atlanta_dream
Caitlin Clark Returns to Court with Fever, Secures Preseason Victory NEW YORK -- In her first WNBA action since mid-July, Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark contributed seven points, four assists, and three rebounds in under 17 minutes as the Fever defeated the New York Liberty 109-91 in their preseason opener on Saturday. The game marked Clark’s return to the court after a challenging 2025 season, during which she played only 13 games due to injuries. Her previous game back came last month, when she represented USA Basketball and earned MVP honors at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifying Tournament in San Juan. Despite the non-counting nature of the preseason matchup, Clark expressed immense excitement about rejoining the team. “Super, super excited” she said, emphasizing the significance of being able to “lace up her shoes” after a season marred by limited playing time. “I didn’t really get to do that very much,” she added, reflecting on her reduced role in 2025. Her enthusiasm was evident as she quickly found her rhythm, hitting her first two shots for five points in the opening 71 seconds. However, she struggled with subsequent attempts, missing eight of her next nine field goals. Clark’s impact extended beyond her scoring, as she showcased her leadership and court vision. Fever coach Stephanie White praised her composure, noting that “she didn’t force anything” and played with “great intention.” White highlighted the team’s adaptation to her presence, stating, “We play differently when she’s on the floor.” The coach acknowledged the challenges of translating her international success to the WNBA, where opponents employ different defensive strategies. “We’ve just got to find ways to free her up to get her some easy looks,” White said, underscoring the team’s focus on optimizing her role.#san_juan #caitlin_clark #indiana_fever #new_york_liberty
WNBA Celebrates 30th Season With Retro Throwback Jerseys and Court Origins Program The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is commemorating its 30th season with a nostalgic tribute to its inaugural year, 1997, through its Court Origins initiative. The program, announced on April 24, features retro-inspired basketballs and jerseys for the league’s three surviving founding franchises—the Los Angeles Sparks, the New York Liberty, and the Phoenix Mercury—as well as special courts and game schedules designed to honor the league’s legacy. The Court Origins Wilson EVO NXT basketball, which is identical to the model currently used by the WNBA, has been retrofitted with vintage aesthetics. The ball retains its alternating panel design but features lighter panels in vintage white or cream tones. Two panels bear retro league logos, while the third panel displays the WNBA’s 30th season logo alongside a modern player silhouette. This design bridges the gap between past and present, reflecting the league’s evolution over three decades. Each of the three original franchises will don custom jerseys that replicate their 1997 looks. The Sparks’ jersey is predominantly yellow with purple side panels extending to the shoulders and white panels over the shoulders. A retro wordmark for the team, featuring a teal-accented palm tree, runs across the chest, paired with an offset purple number. The Liberty’s jersey is mostly black, with seafoam green side panels outlined in orange and silver over the shoulders. The team’s original wordmark, which replaces the “I” in “LIBERTY” with a torch, is arched across the chest. The Mercury’s jersey is red with purple side panels and yellow over the shoulders, featuring a slanted wordmark and a white number outlined in purple.#los_angeles_sparks #las_vegas_aces #wnba #phoenix_mercury #new_york_liberty
Breanna Stewart Attributes Liberty's 2025 Struggles to Loss of 'Flow State' Under Brondello The New York Liberty’s championship defense in 2024, marked by seamless teamwork and dominance, turned into a first-round playoff collapse in 2025, ending Sandy Brondello’s tenure with the team. The Liberty faced an unexpected defeat at the hands of the Phoenix Mercury, a team CBS Sports had not previously labeled a title contender. Veteran forward Breanna Stewart, a key figure in the team’s 2024 success, reflected on the challenges that derailed the 2025 season, pointing to the loss of the team’s “flow state” as a critical factor. Stewart described the “flow state” as a phase where the team’s actions were perfectly synchronized, a hallmark of their 2024 championship run. “When you’re in that flow state, you have to have chemistry and keep it,” she said. “We had a lot of changes between our championship season and 2025. Trying to recreate that flow state quickly didn’t work.” The Liberty’s 2024 campaign was defined by their Big Three—Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, and Jonquel Jones—alongside Courtney Vandersloot, who orchestrated the team’s success. Their dominance was evident in sweeping the Atlanta Dream in the playoffs and defeating the Las Vegas Aces in the second round. However, the 2025 season brought significant disruptions. Vandersloot, a vital playmaker, returned to the Chicago Sky, while Jones suffered a right knee injury that sidelined her for multiple games. The team attempted to address Vandersloot’s absence by signing Natasha Cloud, but the chemistry that defined 2024 never materialized. Injuries and inconsistency plagued the roster, with the team’s rebounding numbers dropping from over 36 per game in 2024 to around 33 in 2025.#breanna_stewart #sandy_brondello #phoenix_mercury #chris_demarco #new_york_liberty
