2025 WNBA MVP

[bballnut90]

Congrats to A’ja! Incredible feat to be a 4x MVP before 30. If she wins a 3rd title this year I think it strongly gives her an argument for the GOAT title in WNBA history.

Also congrats to Collier who undoubtedly would have garnered more votes had she stayed healthy.

The rest of the playoffs should be great, especially if these two meet up in the finals.

 

[JellyBean]

Congrats, A'ja!! 4X League MVP. Huge moment in the history of the WNBA. There have been many greats in the past who did not reach this milestone and A'ja has surpassed some of those greats likes of Lauren Jackson, Lisa Leslie, Sherly Swoopes, EDD, Maya Moore, and Cynthia Cooper. Well done, A'ja!!

 

[GamecockFam]

Here's the vote breakdown from Terrika Foster-Brasby, who is part of the voters for these awards.

There is some interesting data here.

1) One voter seemed to put Allisha Gray over AT at 3rd, otherwise Wilson, Collier, and Thomas got all the votes in the top 3. No 4th place votes for A'ja 😜

2) My girl Boston got one 4th and two 5th place votes to have her tie with Nneka for 6th! She is the youngest player to get a vote (23).

3) Some of the 4th and 5th place votes are a little odd to me particularly Rhyne Howard and Rikea Jackson. They're both great players but I feel like there was a little favoritism in the selections...

4) It's weird seeing Stewie with only one 5th place vote.

5) Forwards dominated the votes. I think this will be changing soon, we're just in an era with really dominant players in the frontcourt. Looking at the young WNBA talent and talent in college, I think we're at the beginning of a guard dominant era with the likes of Bueckers, Clark, Citron, and Juju. I guess we'll see. Boston, Strong or Malonga may play spoiler to this narrative.

 

[ucbart]

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE FARCE.

Phee had a 50/40/90 season, her team was far and away the best team in the regular season, and in the game where her injury occurred that cost her MVP, the Lynx beat the Aces by 50.

And DO NOTTTTTT come for me and say the Lynx had more help. Jackie Young received first place votes(no other KLynx player did), the Aces have 4 Olympians, 3 #1 picks, a #2 pick, and Chelsea Gray, who these idiot GM's voted the best guard in the league to start the season.

 

[ucbart]

There is some interesting data here.

1) One voter seemed to put Allisha Gray over AT at 3rd, otherwise Wilson, Collier, and Thomas got all the votes in the top 3. No 4th place votes for A'ja 😜

2) My girl Boston got one 4th and two 5th place votes to have her tie with Nneka for 6th! She is the youngest player to get a vote (23).

3) Some of the 4th and 5th place votes are a little odd to me particularly Rhyne Howard and Rikea Jackson. They're both great players but I feel like there was a little favoritism in the selections...

4) It's weird seeing Stewie with only one 5th place vote.

5) Forwards dominated the votes. I think this will be changing soon, we're just in an era with really dominant players in the frontcourt. Looking at the young WNBA talent and talent in college, I think we're at the beginning of a guard dominant era with the likes of Bueckers, Clark, Citron, and Juju. I guess we'll see. Boston, Strong or Malonga may play spoiler to this narrative.

Re: #4

Why? She is, has been, and always will be, the most disrespected superstar this league has ever seen.

 

[cancontent]

There is some interesting data here.

1) One voter seemed to put Allisha Gray over AT at 3rd, otherwise Wilson, Collier, and Thomas got all the votes in the top 3. No 4th place votes for A'ja 😜

2) My girl Boston got one 4th and two 5th place votes to have her tie with Nneka for 6th! She is the youngest player to get a vote (23).

3) Some of the 4th and 5th place votes are a little odd to me particularly Rhyne Howard and Rikea Jackson. They're both great players but I feel like there was a little favoritism in the selections...

4) It's weird seeing Stewie with only one 5th place vote.

5) Forwards dominated the votes. I think this will be changing soon, we're just in an era with really dominant players in the frontcourt. Looking at the young WNBA talent and talent in college, I think we're at the beginning of a guard dominant era with the likes of Bueckers, Clark, Citron, and Juju. I guess we'll see. Boston, Strong or Malonga may play spoiler to this narrative.

Great insights. Regarding your last point, I don't know if there will be a dominant position, because of the players you've listed above. Not to mention forwards like Joyce Edwards, posts like Betts, regardless of one's thoughts on her potential are waiting in the wings. And considering these are only a few names, it's a great problem to have as a WNBA fan.

 

[visitingcock]

Congrats to A’ja! Incredible feat to be a 4x MVP before 30. If she wins a 3rd title this year I think it strongly gives her an argument for the GOAT title in WNBA history.

Also congrats to Collier who undoubtedly would have garnered more votes had she stayed healthy.

The rest of the playoffs should be great, especially if these two meet up in the finals.

It firmly establishes her as A goat and candidate for THE goat. However, there is a factor to THE goat title that she has yet to achieve: longevity of greatness. We will see, but she’s about halfway there

 

[GoChips20]

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE FARCE.

Phee had a 50/40/90 season, her team was far and away the best team in the regular season, and in the game where her injury occurred that cost her MVP, the Lynx beat the Aces by 50.

And DO NOTTTTTT come for me and say the Lynx had more help. Jackie Young received first place votes(no other KLynx player did), the Aces have 4 Olympians, 3 #1 picks, a #2 pick, and Chelsea Gray, who these idiot GM's voted the best guard in the league to start the season.

She also missed 25% of the season though. I’m shocked the voting wasn’t significantly closer than it was but it appears that was a much more widespread factor to voters than anticipated.

I wouldn’t have been upset if Phee had won (and think she probably would have if it weren’t for the injury) but the 50-40-90 was overblown (not as an achievement itself, but as a separator in this race) given Wilson was 5% away at the FT line from doing the same.

I think Phee/Lynx fans have every right to be disappointed that she didn’t win given what a brilliant season she’s had individually and collectively, but if the best player on the best team argument is what does it, then Wilson should already have a fourth MVP from 2023.

I don’t disagree that Wilson got a lot of momentum from the second half of the season though and while recency bias is human nature, the full season should be weighed the same.

 

[nwhoopfan]

3) Some of the 4th and 5th place votes are a little odd to me particularly Rhyne Howard and Rikea Jackson. They're both great players but I feel like there was a little favoritism in the selections...

Wow! Both missed some time, and Jackson wasn't even remotely close to the best player on her team. 3rd at best, maybe 4th. Some of the voters need to be replaced. And Howard of course is behind Gray on her team.

 

[TheFarmFan]

Great insights. Regarding your last point, I don't know if there will be a dominant position, because of the players you've listed above. Not to mention forwards like Joyce Edwards, posts like Betts, regardless of one's thoughts on her potential are waiting in the wings. And considering these are only a few names, it's a great problem to have as a WNBA fan.

I have more general thoughts I'll share later, but does anyone think there's anything Betts can or will do better than Malonga? Having watched Betts closely at Stanford, she's older and more experienced than Malonga and I'm already much more impressed with Malonga's game. Not to say Betts won't have a great pro career, but she is way less mobile and has no perimeter shooting game as compared to Malonga.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Phee had a 50/40/90 season

A'ja was 50/40/86. Whatever other criteria you are using, shooting FTs slightly better when both are very efficient at the line is hardly a credible argument for winning MVP. Not to mention Wilson made 248 FTs to Collier's 155, so what are we even talking about FTs for?

 

[GoChips20]

I have more general thoughts I'll share later, but does anyone think there's anything Betts can or will do better than Malonga? Having watched Betts closely at Stanford, she's older and more experienced than Malonga and I'm already much more impressed with Malonga's game. Not to say Betts won't have a great pro career, but she is way less mobile and has no perimeter shooting game as compared to Malonga.

No.

Betts may always have a better game within 5 feet of the rim but Malonga’s ceiling is higher today and, figuratively speaking, will almost certainly be higher tomorrow.

 

[bballnut90]

Re: #4

Why? She is, has been, and always will be, the most disrespected superstar this league has ever seen.

She missed 30% of the season and NY badly underachieved. She wasn't deserving of a top 5 spot this year.

 

[bballnut90]

It firmly establishes her as A goat and candidate for THE goat. However, there is a factor to THE goat title that she has yet to achieve: longevity of greatness. We will see, but she’s about halfway there

To be honest I don't think she needs to maintain a high level of play for more than 3-4 more years to cement herself as #1, especially if Vegas wins it all this year. If they do, she'll have 4 MVPs, 3 Defensive POYs, 3 titles and likely 2 Finals MVP trophies which is a more rounded case than anyone else in league history when looking at a combination of titles and accolades. And she's only been in the league 8 years and is in the prime of her career.

 

[TheFarmFan]

She missed 30% of the season and NY badly underachieved. She wasn't deserving of a top 5 spot this year.

A'ja was 50/40/86. Whatever other criteria you are using, shooting FTs slightly better when both are very efficient at the line is hardly a credible argument for winning MVP. Not to mention Wilson made 248 FTs to Collier's 155, so what are we even talking about FTs for?

Shooting stats: FG%; 3PT%; FT%; P; RB; A; BK; S (bold == category leader)

A'ja:.......51.3%; 42.4%; 85.5%; 23.4; 10.2; 3.1; 2.3; 1.6
Phee:.....53.1%; 40.3%; 90.6%; 22.9; 7.3; 3.2; 1.5; 1.6
AT:..........53.3%; 0.00%; 69.2%; 15.4; 8.8; 9.2; 0.4; 1.6
Stewie:...45.1%; 24.1%; 83.7%; 18.3; 6.5; 3.5; 1.4; 1.4

So TL;DR three-way tie for steals; the only category Phee led in was FT%, AT led in FG% and Assists; A'ja led or tied in everything else. Stewie led in nothing.

I'm not knocking Stewie and I actually think she's been suitably respected over her career, but her numbers this year don't merit top five and her team's performance - notwithstanding her truly impressive game 3 heroics - don't bear out an MVP-like campaign.

(Side note: I didn't realize -- although I should have because I can't remember ever seeing it and it makes sense with the labrum tears -- that AT basically never attempts treys. And her box scores actually make a lot of sense as a result: she is rarely guarded super closely at the top of the key (because of it, presumably), which gives her more open field to pass for assists, but the lack of a three will necessarily reduce her overall scoring ability, while marginally improving her shooting percentage. And the labrum tears probably also reduce her consistently from even as far out as the FT line. Truly impressive what she is able to do despite the two torn labrums...)

 

[cancontent]

Re: #4

Why? She is, has been, and always will be, the most disrespected superstar this league has ever seen.

Looking at her overall career and her accomplishments, I don't see anyone disrespecting what she's done for the sport and the league. From your perspective, how exactly has she been disrespected?

 

[TRest]

To be honest I don't think she needs to maintain a high level of play for more than 3-4 more years to cement herself as #1, especially if Vegas wins it all this year. If they do, she'll have 4 MVPs, 3 Defensive POYs, 3 titles and likely 2 Finals MVP trophies which is a more rounded case than anyone else in league history when looking at a combination of titles and accolades. And she's only been in the league 8 years and is in the prime of her career.

Has she ever had a major injury, college or in the pros? I can’t recall one.

 

[bballnut90]

Has she ever had a major injury, college or in the pros? I can’t recall one.

I don't think so--she missed 8 games in 2019, I don't recall what the injury was. In college she also missed a handful of games her senior year but it wasn't a major injury.

 

[snlMINAJ]

A'ja was 50/40/86. Whatever other criteria you are using, shooting FTs slightly better when both are very efficient at the line is hardly a credible argument for winning MVP. Not to mention Wilson made 248 FTs to Collier's 155, so what are we even talking about FTs for?

right right right, but then why hasn't aja done it? its also not about winning, but then why through the first half of the season was no one expecting aja to be the MVP.

 

[cancontent]

right right right, but then why hasn't aja done it? its also not about winning, but then why through the first half of the season was no one expecting aja to be the MVP.

What exactly is the argument here regarding 50/40/90? Two people in the history of the league have accomplished this. Not sure if it makes a point here.

To your next question about why A'ja wasn't expected to win, the answer is in your sentence. Her performance the first half of the season didn't warrant it. However her performance during the second half of the season was insane, especially the number of 30 point games she had.

She also carried her team most of the way. The likelihood of Vegas being where they are now if A'ja had been injured for a similar amount of time as Napheesa, is very low. I think that also counts for something when determining the value of a player.

 

[cancontent]

Who had Mark Davis wearing a pink wig this season on their bingo card? 😁

 

[JstVisiting]

WHAT AN ABSOLUTE FARCE.

Phee had a 50/40/90 season,

Hard to believe (apparently), but some people value things like “who is the better player” or “who is the most productive” over “who had the better FT percentage”