As the WNBA season reaches its early stages, the top 25 player rankings are subject to rapid change. The gap between players is narrow, with one exceptional week potentially propelling a player up five spots. This season's rankings are based solely on players' current performances, with availability also playing a role. Players like Napheesa Collier, Sabrina Ionescu, and Bri Jones, who have missed significant time, are excluded. Chennedy Carter, who has only played in 33% of Las Vegas' minutes, is also omitted.
The rankings are as follows:
Carla Leite, Portland, PG: At 21 years old, Leite is already generating more points per game out of pick-and-roll than any player in WNBA history (19.5), per Synergy Sports. 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.
Sonia Citron, Washington, SG: Citron is averaging 16.6 points through the first 11 games of her second season, largely due to her driving ability. She's shooting 72.1% at the rim with a 57.8% free-throw rate, using her feel out of ball screens, timely cuts, and ability to attack closeouts to constantly get downhill.
Brittney Sykes, Toronto, SG: Sykes is one of the most explosive athletes the WNBA has ever seen, and her burst makes her almost impossible to keep out of the paint. She's still a positive defender, even if that work hasn't been as consistent with her increased offensive workload.
Jonquel Jones, New York, C: After a slow start, Jones has looked much better lately. Her combination of floor spacing, ball skills, and passing have been impressive, combined with more energy on the other end. During New York's six-game winning streak, Jones averaged 15.3 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 46.9% from three.
Kayla McBride, Minnesota, SF: McBride's shot hasn't quite been at the 40% 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. Defensively, she's drawn the toughest wing assignment most nights and has been a big part of the league's No. 1 defense.
Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles, PF: 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% of her field-goal attempts came from three. That number has nearly doubled to 29% this season, and she's knocking them down at a 45% clip.
Jackie Young, Las Vegas, SG: 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.
Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas, PG: 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.
Aliyah Boston, Indiana, C: 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% 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.
Angel Reese, Atlanta, PF/C: 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.
Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana, SG: 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.
Veronica Burton, Golden State, PG: 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 is 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.
Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix, PF: 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.
Gabby Williams, Golden State, SF: Everyone knows what Williams brings defensively, but when you're also shooting 38.4% 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% from three through the end of June before falling to 24.2% 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.
Caitlin Clark, Indiana, PG: 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% on pull-up threes despite leading the league in attempts.
Jessica Shepard, Dallas, C: 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
