Midway through year, who's your 1st/2nd Team All WNBA?

[bbsamjj]

There have been a lot of really great performances so far this year, and you're not bound by position for the the all WNBA teams. Picking just 10 players is exceedingly tough. But let's try it:

My first team (midway through)

• Napheesa Collier, MN
• Alyssa Thomas, PHO
• Aja Wilson, LV
• Breanna Stewart, NYL
• Allisha Gray, Atl

Second Team:

• Skylar Diggins, SEA
• S. Ionescu, NYL
• P. Bueckers, DAL
• N. Ogwumike, SEA
• S. Sabally, PHO

Just missed the cut: Indiana's Mitchell and Boston, Angel Reese

 

[bballnut90]

There have been a lot of really great performances so far this year, and you're not bound by position for the the all WNBA teams. Picking just 10 players is exceedingly tough. But let's try it:

My first team (midway through)

• Napheesa Collier, MN
• Alyssa Thomas, PHO
• Aja Wilson, LV
• Breanna Stewart, NYL
• Allisha Gray, Atl

Second Team:

• Skylar Diggins, SEA
• S. Ionescu, NYL
• P. Bueckers, IND
• N. Ogwumike, SEA
• S. Sabally, PHO

Just missed the cut: Indiana's Mitchell and Boston, Angel Reese

Agree with this list. A lot of familiar faces, though Gray is a newbie to this level of conversation.

I’d probably put Boston on over Paige but last few spots are sort of a crapshoot. I’d also add Jackie Young to the conversation and potentially Kelsey Plum.

 

[nwhoopfan]

potentially Kelsey Plum.

Yeah, her shooting stats aren't good, and LA sucks, but she's 3rd in the league in scoring and 6th in assists, so she's gotta be mentioned if some of these other players from bad teams are being included. She's ahead of Ionescu in both categories and Sabrina is also struggling w/ her shooting so far (obviously NY is not a bad team; that was more a reference to Reese and Bueckers).

 

[GoChips20]

It’s a testament to how good that Breanna Stewart is that she’s having yet another first-team All-W season and I’ve heard less buzz about her this year than ever before.

 

[bbsamjj]

The guards are the hardest to choose from, imo. I think Gray and Skylar are the most consistent guards who also play on good teams. Paige and Plum are good guards who play on bad teams. And Sabrina has been VERY streaky this year (though she remains an excellent passer and rebounder). Of course, Caitlin could also enter the conversation if she's able to stay healthy and can improve her shooting.

Interestingly, I would say both Wilson and Stewart, while still playing at 1st team levels, are having just "okay" years--which is relative when talking about these MVPs. This is in part because Collier has been so outstanding (as has Alyssa Thomas, forever underappreciated), and partly relatively "down" years in some stats (Aja in her shooting; Stewart in her rebounding).

 

[BrianUC]

There have been a lot of really great performances so far this year, and you're not bound by position for the the all WNBA teams. Picking just 10 players is exceedingly tough. But let's try it:

My first team (midway through)

• Napheesa Collier, MN
• Alyssa Thomas, PHO
• Aja Wilson, LV
• Breanna Stewart, NYL
• Allisha Gray, Atl

Second Team:

• Skylar Diggins, SEA
• S. Ionescu, NYL
• P. Bueckers, IND
• N. Ogwumike, SEA
• S. Sabally, PHO

Just missed the cut: Indiana's Mitchell and Boston, Angel Reese

Good list. It's also so interesting that the Lunar Owls (Collier, SDS, Gray, Courtney Williams) have greatly exceeded expectations in this season of the WNBA.

 

[YKCornelius]

There have been a lot of really great performances so far this year, and you're not bound by position for the the all WNBA teams. Picking just 10 players is exceedingly tough. But let's try it:

My first team (midway through)

• Napheesa Collier, MN
• Alyssa Thomas, PHO
• Aja Wilson, LV
• Breanna Stewart, NYL
• Allisha Gray, Atl

Second Team:

• Skylar Diggins, SEA
• S. Ionescu, NYL
• P. Bueckers, IND
• N. Ogwumike, SEA
• S. Sabally, PHO

Just missed the cut: Indiana's Mitchell and Boston, Angel Reese

P. Bueckers - IND ????

 

[GamecockFam]

There have been a lot of really great performances so far this year, and you're not bound by position for the the all WNBA teams. Picking just 10 players is exceedingly tough. But let's try it:

My first team (midway through)

• Napheesa Collier, MN
• Alyssa Thomas, PHO
• Aja Wilson, LV
• Breanna Stewart, NYL
• Allisha Gray, Atl

Second Team:

• Skylar Diggins, SEA
• S. Ionescu, NYL
• P. Bueckers, IND
• N. Ogwumike, SEA
• S. Sabally, PHO

Just missed the cut: Indiana's Mitchell and Boston, Angel Reese

I don't like it when the frontcourt outweighs the backcourt in these kinds of honors, so I would probably push Breanna Stewart to second team. She isn't shooting that well from 3, Wilson/Collier have better stats in the same areas, and of course Thomas is a triple double threat.

I would probably push Diggins up to first team cause of the combo of points, assists, and FG% among all guards. Plus she is a defensive menace.

Kelsey Mitchell also deserves more recognition. She isn't that far off from Allisha Gray in all the stats, and is probably the purest shooting guard in the league. She is #2 in the league in FGs attempted, and #3 in FG% among all guards who take more than 10 shots per game (Citron #1, A. Gray #2, K. Mitchell #3, Diggins #4, Bueckers #5). I would also argue that she is the third best 3 point shooter behind McBride and A. Gray this season.

I would probably move Bueckers out of the second team since she is on a team with a losing record. I honestly was trying to decide between Ionescu and Bueckers and their stats are almost identical, so I went with Ionescu since she is on the better team.

My first team (midway through)

Napheesa Collier, MN
Alyssa Thomas, PHO
A'ja Wilson, LVA
Skylar Diggins, SEA
Allisha Gray, ATL

Second Team:

Breanna Stewart, NYL
N. Ogwumike, SEA
S. Ionescu, NYL
K. Mitchell, IND
S. Sabally, PHO

Honorable mentions: Bueckers, Boston, Plum, Reece

 

[snlMINAJ]

I don't like it when the frontcourt outweighs the backcourt in these kinds of honors, so I would probably push Breanna Stewart to second team. She isn't shooting that well from 3, Wilson/Collier have better stats in the same areas, and of course Thomas is a triple double threat.

I would probably push Diggins up to first team cause of the combo of points, assists, and FG% among all guards. Plus she is a defensive menace.

Kelsey Mitchell also deserves more recognition. She isn't that far off from Allisha Gray in all the stats, and is probably the purest shooting guard in the league. She is #2 in the league in FGs attempted, and #3 in FG% among all guards who take more than 10 shots per game (Citron #1, A. Gray #2, K. Mitchell #3, Diggins #4, Bueckers #5). I would also argue that she is the third best 3 point shooter behind McBride and A. Gray this season.

I would probably move Bueckers out of the second team since she is on a team with a losing record. I honestly was trying to decide between Ionescu and Bueckers and their stats are almost identical, so I went with Ionescu since she is on the better team.

My first team (midway through)

Napheesa Collier, MN
Alyssa Thomas, PHO
A'ja Wilson, LVA
Skylar Diggins, SEA
Allisha Gray, ATL

Second Team:

Breanna Stewart, NYL
N. Ogwumike, SEA
S. Ionescu, NYL
K. Mitchell, IND
S. Sabally, PHO

Honorable mentions: Bueckers, Boston, Plum, Reece

oh wow 3 owls

 

[bbsamjj]

I don't like it when the frontcourt outweighs the backcourt in these kinds of honors, so I would probably push Breanna Stewart to second team. She isn't shooting that well from 3, Wilson/Collier have better stats in the same areas, and of course Thomas is a triple double threat.

I would probably push Diggins up to first team cause of the combo of points, assists, and FG% among all guards. Plus she is a defensive menace.

Kelsey Mitchell also deserves more recognition. She isn't that far off from Allisha Gray in all the stats, and is probably the purest shooting guard in the league. She is #2 in the league in FGs attempted, and #3 in FG% among all guards who take more than 10 shots per game (Citron #1, A. Gray #2, K. Mitchell #3, Diggins #4, Bueckers #5). I would also argue that she is the third best 3 point shooter behind McBride and A. Gray this season.

I would probably move Bueckers out of the second team since she is on a team with a losing record. I honestly was trying to decide between Ionescu and Bueckers and their stats are almost identical, so I went with Ionescu since she is on the better team.

My first team (midway through)

Napheesa Collier, MN
Alyssa Thomas, PHO
A'ja Wilson, LVA
Skylar Diggins, SEA
Allisha Gray, ATL

Second Team:

Breanna Stewart, NYL
N. Ogwumike, SEA
S. Ionescu, NYL
K. Mitchell, IND
S. Sabally, PHO

Honorable mentions: Bueckers, Boston, Plum, Reece

I am a huge Kelsey Mitchell fan, and agree that along with McBride she's probably the purest shooting guard in the league. If you need someone to get you a bucket, she might be at the top of my list in the league this year (maybe after Collier).

My hangup with Kelsey is scoring is about all she does. She's only 5'8, so her rebounding numbers are never going to great, but she's also not a particularly dynamic passer (she's 4th on the team in apg), and she is certainly not known for her defense.

While all taller, Ionescu, Gray, Paige, Caitlin, Jackie Young, Plum, SDD all fill up the stat sheet a lot more than Kelsey. Even with that, I'm not mad if she's making a 2nd team ALL WNBA this year.

 

[JstVisiting]

If you believe in advanced stats at all, Boston is clearly 1st Team.

 

[GoChips20]

If you believe in advanced stats at all, Boston is clearly 1st Team.

I agree she’s an All-W pick right now. She’s been the best center in the league other than A’ja (who some don’t consider a center).

I think Boston can win MVP in the future but might need to leave Indiana to do it. She and Clark work great together, but her scoring numbers will probably always be higher and Indiana likely wouldn’t be good enough without Clark for her to win it.

 

[JstVisiting]

I think Boston can win MVP in the future but might need to leave Indiana to do it. She and Clark work great together, but her scoring numbers will probably always be higher and Indiana likely wouldn’t be good enough without Clark for her to win it.

Even if Boston is the better player on 2027 Indiana, Clark is likely to get the individual awards. CC's game is made for WHOA! moments, while Boston's is built on quiet efficiency.

Even on a women's basketball forum, people have her as honorable mention while 2nd in WS and lapping the field in offensive rating.

Partially a function of the women's game in general, where a center burying someone in the post for an easy lay up is just not going to get the same sort of respect and appreciation from casuals as Shaq nearly ripping down a basket while dunking over a guy.