The WNBA has rapidly become the most popular women’s sports league in America. Featuring incredible athletes that are dominant at basketball, with big personalities to match their big talents, the WNBA is a sport that is only growing in viewership. For the 2023 season, the WNBA is expanding to 40 games, meaning that this will be the biggest and most exciting season yet, and it is set to begin in May 2023, around the same time the NBA ends.
What makes the WNBA such a fun sport to follow is the incredible players in the league. The superstar WNBA athletes are what put fans in seats and draw bettors to place bets on their favorite sports betting sites. But in a league such as this, where there are so many talented players, it is natural that a hierarchy has formed. Even in such a talented league, some players stand out as the cream of the crop. There are some WNBA players that stand out from the crowd as elite players that have earned the recognition of fans and commentators alike. Let’s look at some of these WNBA superstars that have earned a name for themselves as the top players in this rapidly growing league.
Breanna Stewart
Breanna Stewart is a flat-out hooper, and she is still very much in the prime of her career. At only 28, the Seattle Storm’s talented forward remains a force of nature, and she shows no signs of slowing down. She is already one of the single best WNBA players ever and has won two championships for the Storm, almost eking a third one out in 2022. While the Las Vegas Aces had a deeper squad and snatched what would have been a legendary victory away from Stewart, she will enter this year with a vengeance. She can do everything needed on a basketball court, from hitting the three to crashing the glass, and any conversation about the best player in the league should likely start and end with her.
Jonquel Jones
Jonquel Jones is the well-rounded forward for the Connecticut Suns that many expect to continue her march to superstar status this year. Last season was hard to qualify as a disappointment for Jones, considering she was an all-star and led the Suns to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and the WNBA Finals. However, her numbers did slide from her career year in 2021. But Jones is still just 28 years old, and her best days may still be ahead of her. She is someone many expect to be a legitimate MVP candidate this year.
A’ja Wilson
If anyone has a valid argument against Breanna Stewart as the best current player in the league, it has got to be A’ja Wilson. The reigning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year is also the reigning WNBA champion. Wilson has been a force of nature for the Las Vegas Aces and is likely to continue to dominate at the age of 26. She is a dominant defender, a ferocious rebounder, and can score the ball at will. While she didn’t win this year’s Finals MVP, that is the only accolade left on her list to check off.
Kelsey Plum
Kelsey Plum might not have the track record some of the other players on this list do, but last year, she showed her value as a true superstar for the champion Las Vegas Aces. She blew her career high in scoring out of the water and, as the first overall pick in 2017, showed that her draft status was no fluke. Plum is the kind of three-point shooter teams dream about, with limitless range, and excelled as a passer as well. She was an instrumental part of the best team in the league and now has the championship to prove it (finals struggles aside).
Candace Parker
What else is there left to say about Candace Parker? She has cemented herself as one of the true greats of the sport. With two championships, two MVPs, a Defensive Player of the Year award, and seven All-Star recognitions, Parker is one of the WNBA’s biggest legends. And at 36, she remains a superstar. Father time is not undefeated, it seems! Last year, Parker had the Chicago Sky on the brink of the WNBA Finals before eventually falling short. But her well-rounded game remains a huge asset, as she can defend, pass, rebound, and score.
Sabrina Ionescu
Few WNBA players have ever entered the league with such sky-high expectations. While Sabrina Ionescu still has work to do to live up to these expectations, this up-and-coming seems poised to take the next step this year. She already broke out last year, making her first All-Star team due to her well-rounded game, but this year, she could go supernova for the New York Liberty. Ionescu can rebound and is one of the best passers in the game, and if she can finally get her three-pointer to fall, she will become the most unstoppable force in the league.
