We’re achieved counting down the 30 gamers most ready to have one of the best seasons in 2021. Rookies and gamers like Sabrina Ionescu who’ve little or no WNBA expertise weren’t thought of. Right here’s the Prime 10!
10) Tina Charles
Washington Mystics
Charles was final seen averaging 16.9 factors and seven.5 rebounds for the New York Liberty in 2019. That’s the second-lowest scoring common and second-lowest rebounding common of her profession. Now she’s 32 years previous and has to mud off the rust after lacking 2020 as a result of an choose out. Nonetheless, Charles is without doubt one of the most proficient gamers within the league and will nonetheless be a extremely productive frontcourt participant. It wouldn’t be shocking if the constructive vibes of a contemporary begin in D.C. really elevate her numbers from 2019. She is a former MVP, a seven-time All-Star and an eight-time All-WNBA choice.
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9) Nneka Ogwumike
Los Angeles Sparks
Ogwumike goes forward of Charles on this checklist as a result of she is 30 years previous versus 32 and is the more moderen MVP, successful the award in 2016 (Charles received it in 2012).
Candace Parker began all 34 video games and averaged 30.eight minutes per sport in 2016 and Ogwumike nonetheless received the MVP award whereas enjoying on the identical group, a group that went on to win the championship. Nonetheless, in 2018 and 2020 Ogwumike took a backseat to Parker’s greatness. Now that the latter is a member of the Chicago Sky and Chelsea Grey is a member of the Las Vegas Aces, the Sparks will change into unquestionably Ogwumike’s group. Can she enhance on her 13.three factors and four.eight rebounds per sport within the bubble and return to being an MVP contender?
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eight) Courtney Vandersloot
Chicago Sky
I’m simply gonna say this right here…..
Courtney Vandersloot’s title must be on the prime of the checklist for mvp candidates.
— Natasha Cloud (@T_Cloud4) August 21, 2020
Natasha Cloud, who opted out of the 2020 season, campaigned onerous for her fellow level guard from afar, however Vandersloot didn’t win the MVP award. Nonetheless, Cloud brings up a superb level: that we have now been overlooking Vandersloot as one of many prime gamers within the WNBA in recent times. She has led the league in assists per sport 4 years in a row, proudly owning that distinction by 1.5 assists in 2017, 1.5 assists in 2018, three.1 assists in 2019 and four.2 assists in 2020 when she grew to become the primary WNBA participant to ever common 10 assists in a season. Vandersloot has averaged double-digit factors in every of the final 4 seasons as effectively and shot higher than 38 p.c from distance in thrice in that span, together with 39.5 p.c final 12 months.
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7) Candace Parker
Chicago Sky
Parker is without doubt one of the all-time greats, however is now previous her prime. A hamstring damage delayed her begin to the 2019 season, throughout which she averaged simply 11.2 factors and 6.four rebounds per sport. Nonetheless, in 2020, at age 34, she bounced again with an All-WNBA First Workforce choice. She was phenomenal when enjoying as a point-forward and racked up four.6 assists per sport. She additionally averaged 14.7 factors and 9.7 rebounds (eight defensive) and was named Defensive Participant of the Yr. Plus there’s all of the intangibles that she brings to the desk. Parker goes to wish to have an enormous 12 months debuting in her hometown of Chicago and if final 12 months is any indication, she simply may.
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6) Jonquel Jones
Connecticut Solar
Now we get into the Prime 6, all of whom are MVP contenders. Jones has but to common 16 or extra factors per sport in a season, however is definitely able to changing into one of many league’s greatest scorers along with her capacity to shoot the three, drive and submit up at 6-foot-6. Look no additional than her 32-point, 18-rebound efficiency in Recreation 2 of the 2019 Finals to grasp simply how gaudy her stats might be. And that show got here when the lights have been shining the brightest. This 12 months, Jones would be the greatest participant on the Solar, who will depend on her much more with Alyssa Thomas out. Search for the 27-year-old to have a monster season.
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5) Brittney Griner
Phoenix Mercury
Griner missed the second half of final season and the playoffs for private causes, however averaged a formidable 17.7 factors, 7.5 rebounds, three assists (profession excessive) and 1.eight blocks in her 12 video games. The final time she performed a full season (2019) she got here in second in MVP voting to Elena Delle Donne. Her mid-range sport continues to enhance and he or she continues to be on the prime of her sport at age 30, so don’t depend out one other run on the MVP award. Griner got here into the league with a lot hype and whereas she has been overshadowed by Delle Donne (her draft mate), we frequently take without any consideration present how nice a participant she is.
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four) Liz Cambage
Las Vegas Aces
Cambage has such a excessive ceiling along with her capacity to go off for monster scoring performances. She is without doubt one of the most enjoyable gamers to observe within the WNBA. Like Griner, she is in quest of a primary MVP award, however successful her first WNBA championship is greater on her checklist of priorities. Cambage got here in second in MVP voting in 2018 with 23 factors and 9.7 rebounds per sport. She then averaged simply 15.9 factors and eight.2 rebounds in 2019, however scored a private 2019 playoff-high 28 within the Aces’ one win over the Mystics in that 12 months’s semifinals. That efficiency probably scared a whole lot of followers across the league about simply how harmful the Aces may be when Cambage and A’ja Wilson are at their greatest.
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three) A’ja Wilson
Las Vegas Aces
Wilson is the reigning WNBA MVP and is simply 24 years previous. She is an exceptional scorer and rebounder with elite back-to-the-basket strikes, inside contact and mid-range capturing. She averaged 20.5 factors, eight.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals and two blocks in 2020. Count on her confidence to be sky-high after successful the MVP award, which is not any straightforward process any time Breanna Stewart is within the league. Each she and Cambage might should sacrifice particular person accolades for the betterment of the Aces as a group, however Wilson positively deserves to be at No. three on this checklist no matter how a lot her numbers might dip.
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2) Elena Delle Donne
Washington Mystics
Delle Donne has a greater monitor document as a scorer than every other lively participant within the league who continues to be on the prime of their sport. She averaged 23.four factors per sport because the MVP in 2015 and averaged 20-plus two different instances. Her lowest scoring common in seven seasons is 17.9 and that got here when she was battling a Lyme illness flare up in 2014. The final time she was on the courtroom (2019), Delle Donne received her second MVP award and he or she ought to be within the working for that award once more.
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1) Breanna Stewart
Seattle Storm
Stewart received the MVP award in 2018 and got here in second in MVP voting final 12 months, which was spectacular contemplating it was her first 12 months again from a torn Achilles. With Jewell Loyd, Natasha Howard, Sue Chook and Alysha Clark surrounding her, there was little query that Stewart was going to steer her group to the WNBA championship as soon as it received sizzling within the Finals. In fact, no participant can win a title on their very own, however Stewart was about as dominant as she may have been within the Finals, averaging 28.three factors over the three-game sweep and capturing 13-of-20 (65 p.c) from past the arc. As a result of Delle Donne missed the 2020 season, many individuals appear to have forgotten that she was thought of one of the best participant on this planet not too way back. Nonetheless, it appears honest to provide the 26-year-old Stewart the sting on this checklist.
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