2025 WNBA Regular Season

[GoChips20]

Have we ever had an MVP who didn’t lead their team in scoring? Thomas is third on the Merc (albeit by half a point from first). Doesn’t matter to me but just curious.

Thomas is a generational passer from the forward spot and voters should focus more on total point creation than individual scoring, IMO.

 

[JellyBean]

Have we ever had an MVP who didn’t lead their team in scoring? Thomas is third on the Merc (albeit by half a point from first). Doesn’t matter to me but just curious.

Thomas is a generational passer from the forward spot and voters should focus more on total point creation than individual scoring, IMO.

Not that I can recall. AT is always in the running for MVP. Could she finally cross that finish line and win the League MVP? We shall see.

 

[JstVisiting]

If it was only for the second half of the season, sure. Phee was the POTM (and best player on the best team in the league) in May, June and July. Her injury may have screwed her chances, however.

If it was for best player on the best team, she’d be a shoe in.

The Aces are +27.7 with A’ja on vs off. They’re a respectable +9.6 per 100 with A’ja on the court, fourth in the league. When she goes to the bench, they’re nearly as bad as the Sky* (-18.1 vs Chicago’s -19.3). Even last night, Hammon inexplicably tried to rest her from around 6:00 left to about 2:20, and the Lynx backups cut a 13 point deficit to 6.

A’ja is also better than Collier in advanced metrics like PER. Voters tire of giving the award to the same player, but she deserves it, just as she did two years ago.

* maybe the answer to Reese’s complaints about losing is “git gud”

 

[bballnut90]

Have we ever had an MVP who didn’t lead their team in scoring? Thomas is third on the Merc (albeit by half a point from first). Doesn’t matter to me but just curious.

Thomas is a generational passer from the forward spot and voters should focus more on total point creation than individual scoring, IMO.

A non-leading scorer has never been MVP, which means Alyssa Thomas would be the first.
Someone who has missed more than 20% of the season has never been MVP, meaning Napheesa Collier would be the first.
And no one has ever won MVP 4x, which means A'ja Wilson would be the first.

 

[darrell]

If it was for best player on the best team, she’d be a shoe in.

The Aces are +27.7 with A’ja on vs off. They’re a respectable +9.6 per 100 with A’ja on the court, fourth in the league. When she goes to the bench, they’re nearly as bad as the Sky* (-18.1 vs Chicago’s -19.3). Even last night, Hammon inexplicably tried to rest her from around 6:00 left to about 2:20, and the Lynx backups cut a 13 point deficit to 6.

A’ja is also better than Collier in advanced metrics like PER. Voters tire of giving the award to the same player, but she deserves it, just as she did two years ago.

* maybe the answer to Reese’s complaints about losing is “git gud”

My thing is, the MVP race wasn’t a big conversation until Phee’s injury. She was the best player in the league (by a wide margin) and just happened to get injured in the game that coincidentally turned the Aces’ season around. If I had a vote, it’d be 1. Phee, 2. A’ja, 3. AT. The streak has been impressive, but there was a lot of games prior to that.

I also think the “voter fatigue” thing is a huge insult to Phee, as if she isn’t just as (if not more) deserving.

 

[cancontent]

My thing is, the MVP race wasn’t a big conversation until Phee’s injury. She was the best player in the league (by a wide margin) and just happened to get injured in the game that coincidentally turned the Aces’ season around. If I had a vote, it’d be 1. Phee, 2. A’ja, 3. AT. The streak has been impressive, but there was a lot of games prior to that.

I also think the “voter fatigue” thing is a huge insult to Phee, as if she isn’t just as (if not more) deserving.

Very true. At the same time, consideration has to be given to A'ja considering how her efforts along with the team has helped improved their standing for the playoffs. While Napheesa was injured, first place wasn't in question. In contrast, Vegas leap frogged several teams and are third.

I do wonder where both Napheesa and A'ja would be had they missed a similar number of games this season. Would Vegas' turnaround along with A'ja's multiple 30+ games during that span have them on par? Who knows?

 

[MilfordHusky]

She made a huge statement. The MVP conversation is going to be interesting.

I think it could be like 2 years ago, with Phee replacing Stewie. A'ja, AT, and Phee will all get 1st place votes.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well to me it boils down to Wilson gained a ton of ground while Collier was stuck in the same place. A'ja has been playing at an incredibly high level for an extended period of time. And the team is on a 13 game winning streak, which doesn't happen very often. Minnesota is now 3-2 since Collier's return, they were 5-2 while she was out. Collier was clearly the best player in the league prior to the All Star break, Wilson clearly has been the best player since the break. I guess it depends on what you value more, the beginning of the season or the end of the season.

 

[visitingcock]

I think it could be like 2 years ago, with Phee replacing Stewie. A'ja, AT, and Phee will all get 1st place votes.

Well, Aja got a 4th place vote 2 years ago and it knocked her out of first place. So . . .

 

[JDuro]

Well, Aja got a 4th place vote 2 years ago and it knocked her out of first place. So . . .

Will be interesting to see how many votes in the top 3 Allisha Gray garners.

 

[maccca3232]

Well, Aja got a 4th place vote 2 years ago and it knocked her out of first place. So . . .

This is not the first time I have read something similar, so not targeting you.

Here is the breakdown of the 2023 WNBA Voting Results (source)
Actual Results
RESULT: Stewart wins by 13 points.

Player	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
	10 points	7 points	5 points	3 points	1 point
Stewart	20	23	17	0	0	446
Thomas	23	12	25	0	0	439
Wilson	17	25	17	1	0	433

Swapping Wilson from 4th to 3rd (+2pts).
RESULT: Stewart wins by 11 points.

Player	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
Stewart	20	23	17	0	0	446
Thomas	23	12	25	0	0	439
Wilson	17	25	18	0	0	435

Swapping Wilson from 4th to 3rd (+2pts)
Swapping Stewart from 1st to 3rd (-5pts) and Wilson from 3rd to 1st (+5pts)
RESULT: Stewart wins by 1 point.

Player	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
Stewart	19	23	18	0	0	441
Thomas	23	12	25	0	0	439
Wilson	18	25	17	0	0	440

Swapping Stewart from 1st to 4th (-7pts) and Wilson from 4th to 1st (+7pts)
RESULT: Wilson wins by 1 point.

Player	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	Total
Stewart	19	23	17	1	0	439
Thomas	23	12	25	0	0	439
Wilson	18	25	17	0	0	440

The rationale is that Stewart, Thomas and Wilson were clearly the Top 3 players, so only those 3 players deserved to be Top 3 in MVP.

If the only reason Wilson lost the MVP was due to a 4th place vote, then the only way she could have won the MVP (by changing a single voter ballot) was if Stewart received a 4th place vote. It is illogical at best but more accurately hypocritical.

 

[cancontent]

Will be interesting to see how many votes in the top 3 Allisha Gray garners.

Ooooh!!! Could she split the vote??!!!??? The suspense of it all!!!!!

 

[darrell]

I tell you what, there’s never a dull moment in “Skytown”. Was Angel wrong? No. She’ll be the latest in an ever growing # of All-Stars to want out of Chicago.

Sky suspend Reese for 'detrimental' comments

Angel Reese has been suspended by the Chicago Sky for the first half of Sunday's matchup against the Las Vegas Aces for comments she made that were "detrimental to the team."

www.espn.com