Way too Early Predictions for the WNBA Awards
Coming out of one of the most exciting seasons in league history, the WNBA has built on that momentum with an electric start to the season. And in typical fashion for fans of every sport, we wanted to give out our incredibly early predictions for the end-of-season awards. The season has already seen so many unpredictable twists and turns which will inevitably change this list in a few weeks, but debating what rookie is playing the best, or who is denying the most shots is half the fun of following sports.
Rookie of the Year - Paige Bueckers - Dallas Wings
Image Courtesy of Paige Bueckers Official Instagram
In the first quarter of the season, Dallas has been a tough watch. They lost 11 of their first 12 games, and are battling Connecticut for the bottom spot in the standings. However, one of the brightest spots, and one of the most interesting players across the entire league has been Paige Bueckers. Watching her come out somewhat passive in the first few games, to roaring onto the scene with 35 points against the Phoenix Mercury, Bueckers is finally coming into her own and looking like the generational prospect that we’ve all been expecting. In the 13 games she’s played, Bueckers is averaging 18.4 points, 5.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and nearly a block a game. Compared to the rest of the league she ranks in the top 10 in assists and steals, and ranks in the top 15 for points and blocks. She’s the fastest player to ever reach 300 points and 50 assists, and was voted as an All-Star starter. There have been other incredible rookies in this class such as Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen, both of whom play for the Washington Mystics. They’ve put up incredible numbers themselves and deserve to be mentioned as well. However, Bueckers is the clear frontrunner for the award.
Most Improved Player - Kayla Thornton - Golden State Valkyries
Image Courtesy of Kayla Thornton’s Official Instagram
One of the most fun stories to follow in the WNBA this season has been the newest expansion team in Golden State. The Valkyries have started off the season with a 9-8 record, and much of their success has come from the emergence of Kayla Thornton. After winning a championship with the New York Liberty a season ago, Thornton was made available in the pool of players that the Valkyries were able to draft from. In New York she had to play behind legends of the sport, naturally seeing her minutes and role decline on the team. However, with more of an opportunity to spread her wings, Thornton has thrived. She went from averaging 5.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and less than a steal and a block per game, to averaging 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals, while still keeping her rough, defensive mindset. As she becomes more comfortable in her expanded role, Thornton will be a strong contender for the most improved player.
Defensive Player of the Year - A'ja Wilson - Las Vegas Aces
Image Courtesy of A’ja Wilson’s Official Instagram
Despite a “down” season, A’ja Wilson is still clearly one of the two best players in the association. Her scoring and efficiency has taken a slight step back as she’s had to adjust to a new team dynamic. However, she is still as dominant as she’s ever been on the defensive end. This season Wilson is averaging 2.6 blocks and 1.9 steals which is in the top three for both categories. Her ability to protect the rim is second to none, and she’s still elite in the passing lanes, using her length and athleticism to pick off passes and score on the other end. Coming off of a year in which her fans feel she was wrongfully snubbed of the award, Wilson is on track to win the third DPOY award of her hall of fame career.
Coach of the Year - Natalie Nakase - Golden State Valkyries
Image Courtesy of Natalie Nakase’s Official Instagram
As mentioned previously, the Golden State Valkyries have hit the ground running in their inaugural season. Similarly, Coach Nakase has relished the opportunity to lead this team as her first coaching job, after working as an assistant coach to the Aces. Coming in with an entirely new group of players from around the league, Nakase has her team competing at a high level every night. The team is 7-3 over the last 10 games, and currently sit in the 6th seed. Nakase is making history as the first Asian-American head coach in the WNBA, and her debut season could be capped with an impressive playoff appearance. The Valkyries are an example of expansion done correctly, and Nakase’s leadership is a big part of their success.
Most Valuable Player - Napheesa Collier - Minnesota Lynx
Image Courtesy of Napheesa Collier’s Official Instagram
Ending the season in a crushing Game 5 loss at the hands of the New York Liberty in the finals, Napheesa Collier was out for revenge the second the season ended. She had one of the best playoff runs in WNBA history, scoring the most points ever in a playoff run, and leading the entire playoffs in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks. Collier proved that she was an undisputed top 3 player in the league. This year she’s picked up exactly where she left off. Currently averaging a career high 24.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, Collier has been the most consistent player that has been performing at the highest level.
WNBA Champions - Minnesota Lynx
Image Courtesy of the Minnesota Lynx’s Official Instagram
The vengeful energy emitting from Collier has spread throughout the rest of the Minnesota Lynx organization. Watching interviews from players like Courtney Williams to Coach Reeve, they felt robbed of a championship. But instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they’ve come back determined to right the wrongs of the past season. In the 19 games they’ve played, the Lynx are 17-2, which is good for the best record in the league. They have the best offense and defense in the league, and have multiple candidates for the defensive player of the year award. Similar to last year’s New York Liberty, the Lynx’s net rating is over 4 points higher than the next best team in the league. The Lynx have dominated their opposition in this early portion of the season and appear ready to finally hoist the championship trophy.
While these predictions are much too early to be set in stone, this is how the league is shaking up nearly halfway into the season. Regardless of whether these premature predictions hold true or not, the WNBA has been a welcomed sight and the discourse around the league has been as refreshing and interesting as it’s ever been. With half the year left to go, we can only hope that the league continues to provide great moments, as it has done for the first 20 games.