The WNBA midseason mark is already here after all 15 teams eclipsed the 22-game threshold. The unofficial reference point will come next week with All-Star weekend in Chicago.
The overlooked Minnesota Lynx (18-6), second-year Golden State Valkyries (17-7) and reigning champion Las Vegas Aces (17-7) lead the pack, followed closely by Paige Bueckers’ Dallas Wings (16-8) and Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever (14-9). There are 5.5 games between the eighth-place Washington Mystics (the Liberty are seventh) and league-leading Lynx, setting up a fun run to the postseason that begins in September following the FIBA World Cup break.
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Before that, Yahoo Sports is going backward to analyze, reassess and adjust the preseason contenders based on the first half of the season. Typically, MVP would helm this conversation as the most coveted award on the docket. But since the Sixth Player of the Year award gained some interesting twists and turns this month, that’s where we’ll dive in first.
Sixth Player of the Year
Preseason candidates: Chennedy Carter (Aces), Betnijah Laney-Hamilton (Liberty), Cameron Brink (Sparks), Naz Hillmon (Dream)
This is one of the most difficult awards to forecast simply because starting rosters, rotations and injuries are constantly in flux. The preseason group proved a messy miss, in ways both predictable and not.
(Ethan Miller via Getty Images)
Carter locked down the lead in this award until the reigning champion Aces released her ahead of the deadline for guaranteed contracts. Head coach Becky Hammon declined to discuss a player who was no longer rostered. Carter is one of the most productive and talented guards in the WNBA, ranking third in points-per-40 minutes at 28.9 (12.2 points in 16.9 minutes). Her efforts off the bench were massive for a team seeking another back-to-back championship run.
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But, she appeared to fall out of favor in Hammon’s system once the season was underway, despite the coach’s support in the preseason and first weeks. Carter’s social media presence can’t be overlooked on a team that prioritizes the locker room almost more than any other team in the league.
Laney-Hamilton, a key piece to the 2024 championship team, is averaging 16.8 minutes over 17 games. Three times this season, Chris DeMarco has not played her (“DNP”), including the Commissioner’s Cup championship game victory over Las Vegas. Her long-term prospects with the Liberty are as rocky as the team’s record — and they lost seven of the last nine as of Tuesday.
Brink has not played since June 15 while dealing with a sprained ankle. She averaged 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 3.5 personal fouls over 14 games. Hillmon, the reigning Sixth Player, started 21 of 23 games while Brionna Jones remains out after knee surgery. Two more starts and Hillmon will no longer qualify for the award.
The Sixth Player award requires a complete reset.
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Midseason contenders: Janelle Salaün (Valkyries), Sophie Cunningham (Fever)
Salaün moved to the bench in her second Golden State season, but has been no less productive. She is the team’s second-leading scorer (13 ppg) and sharpest, most proficient 3-point shooter (2.6 per game, 39.7%). The Valkyries moved into first in the Associated Press power poll for the first time in franchise history this week, and are one game out of first place in the WNBA standings.
Cunningham’s success off the bench isn’t recency bias following a scorching 6 of 7 night from the perimeter against the Aces on Sunday. The veteran wing remains one of the league’s best outside shooters (43.5%), averaging 10 ppg, shooting 49.2% overall in 22.4 mpg. The Fever are climbing back up the standings, which will help her candidacy.
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Most Valuable Player
Preseason candidates: A’ja Wilson (Aces), Caitlin Clark (Fever), Breanna Stewart/Jonquel Jones/Sabrina Ionescu (Liberty), Alyssa Thomas (Mercury), Napheesa Collier (Lynx)
The preseason group turned out to be solid on the MVP front. Wilson again leads the MVP conversation with another season leading the league in scoring (25.5 ppg, close to a career-high 26.9 in 2024), blocks (2.0) and is third in rebounds (9.8). Her presence at the Aces’ fulcrum hasn’t dropped off, and they are locked into a top spot in the standings at the midway point, unlike the climb they faced a year ago.
A’ja Wilson has not let up after winning her record fourth MVP award last season. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Ethan Miller via Getty Images)
Stewart is in charge in New York as a versatile do-it-all, two-way threat, while DeMarco faces starting lineup challenges nightly. Jones’ numbers are similar, while Ionescu missed time with ankle and back injuries. But the Liberty’s penchant for double-digit deficits and recent losing skid have dinged the trio, anyway.
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Even while missing a handful of games, Clark is still packing the stat line, led by a career-best 20.1 ppg. Thomas and Collier, both of whom were included in our preseason watch given their stature, are both solidly out of the MVP picture. The Mercury (8-16) aren’t playing well, despite Thomas’ 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and league-leading 7.9 assists per game. Collier returned to practices this month after offseason foot surgery, but has yet to play a game. No MVP in league history has missed more than 15.6% of the regular season, which in this 44-game season is seven games.
Midseason adds: Olivia Miles (Lynx), Paige Bueckers (Wings)
Winning MVP as a guard is historically difficult. With so many stat-stuffing point guards coming up, it is becoming inevitable that one will win eventually. These two, along with Clark, are among the best rebounding guards with top-10 assist numbers and elite scoring ability. Fever center Aliyah Boston could also work her way onto ballots. Voters list their top five.
Rookie of the Year
Preseason candidates: Olivia Miles (Lynx), Azzi Fudd (Wings)
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There is no doubt this award is Miles’ to lose. The Notre Dame/TCU product excelled in her first 20-plus games as a WNBA point guard. She leads all rookies in scoring (18.7 ppg shooting 50%), assists (5.6 apg) and plus-minus (9.4), as well as ranking top-3 in rebounds (4.8), steals (1.3) and blocks (0.8). She’s the head of the league-leading Lynx with a well-rounded pro-ready game, boasting numbers that sit near the top of the entire WNBA.
While Fudd, the No. 1 overall pick, is a sizable distance away in the ROY race, she is making it clear the duo will be elite competitors for years to come. Fudd has emerged as one of the best perimeter defenders, leading rookies in blocks (0.9, also best among all guards) and ranking fourth league-wide in steals.
Midseason adds: None.
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All-rookie team consideration: Fudd, Miles, Flau’jae Johnson (Storm), Awa Fam (Storm), Pauline Astier (Liberty), Sydney Taylor (Sky), Gabriela Jaquez
Defensive Player of the Year
Preseason candidates: A’ja Wilson (Aces), Alanna Smith (Wings), Aliyah Boston (Fever), Gabby Williams (Valkyries)
The only one to fall out of this list is Smith, the reigning co-Defensive Player of the Year, whose numbers all took dips — including her time on the court. She’s proved largely ineffective with the Wings, instead taking a back seat to former Lynx teammate Jessica Shepard. Smith also missed time with injuries and sustained a right lower leg injury against the Sky on Sunday.
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Wilson, a three-time winner including a share of last year’s title, has not dropped off. Williams won her third EuroLeague DPOY honor in April and helms a Valkyries squad leading the league in defensive rating (100.4), opponent points off turnovers (12.1) and opponent points in the paint (31.8). She does it without committing fouls, averaging 1.4 personal fouls per game, which is vastly below anyone else in the top 25 of defensive win shares.
Midseason add: Natasha Howard (Lynx)
Howard has slotted into the elite forward role left by Smith and is taking the brunt of the paint-protection while Collier is out. She leads the league in defensive win shares (1.4) and ranks fifth in steals (1.7 spg) for one of the league’s best defensive teams.
Most Improved Player
Midseason leaders: Jessica Shepard (Wings), Marina Mabrey (Tempo), Carla Leite (Fire), Shakira Austin (Mystics)
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Shepard is lapping the field in the MIP conversation with the season’s only three triple-doubles and averages of 15 points (60.2%), 11.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists. She’s the second-best facilitating forward behind Thomas, and one of two players averaging a double-double. Importance to team success is often the litmus test, and the first-time All-Star passes with ease. The Wings flipped from a -9.7 net rating (11th) up to 3.7 (sixth) as of Tuesday and are close to doubling their total wins from a year ago. Their assist percentages and assist-to-turnover ratio showed the clearest improvements.
Of the top 15 players who took the largest scoring leaps season-over-season, only one remained with the same team as in 2025. It often requires a change of scenery to settle into a new, more productive role in terms of sheer per-game numbers.
That player is Dominique Malonga, whose 7.8 ppg increase (7.7 to 15.5) is the fourth-best among all players, according to Her Hoop Stats. Malonga, the No. 2 overall pick behind Bueckers in 2024, moved into the starting lineup for Nneka Ogwumike, now with the Sparks.
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Players on expansion teams will be mainstays on these lists as teams continue to enter the league through 2030. Marina Mabrey (Connecticut to Toronto) is on a scorcher, particularly as the top offensive target without Brittney Sykes (plantar fascia). She’s averaging 11.3 more points per 40 minutes than a year ago, despite playing on an inferior roster in Connecticut. And she matched the single-game scoring record with 53 points, while also holding the record for 3-pointers (nine).
Megan Gustafson (Las Vegas to Portland) was honest earlier this year about the Fire being “a bunch of overlooked players.” She’s averaging 10.8 more points per 40. It’s second-year guard Carla Leite who is leading the Fire with improved numbers from her mostly bench production in Golden State.
Austin, after spending much of her career battling injuries, hasn’t seen as drastic a jump in production, but she has marked quality. Austin is shooting 42.3% from 3-point range, good for 11th in the league. She has attempted more 3s (26) in 20 games than her entire first four seasons combined (20 in 105 games). She made three of them before hitting 11 this season.
Coach of the Year
Midseason leaders: Cheryl Reeve (Lynx), Jose Fernandez (Wings), Alex Sarama (Fire), Sandy Brondello (Tempo)
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It doesn’t matter the decade or the accumulation of talent, the winningest head coach in league history knows how to keep a team atop the standings. The Lynx haven’t hit as many valleys as any other team in the league this year, despite middling expectations and still going without MVP runner-up Collier. It would be Reeve’s fifth COY honor. She could also double as the Executive of the Year, since she has worked as the Lynx President of Basketball Operations since 2022.
Fernandez receives the nod for a coach who lifted a team from the bottom to the top. The Wings’ offense operates more fluidly, and he has made no secret of his high expectations for this team, no matter how new they are to each other.
Sarama and Brondello are fringe contenders with their expansion teams on the brink of the playoffs. Should either make the postseason picture, they would be top contenders for those who vote based on exceeding expectations.
