USA TODAY National
The end of the 2025 WNBA regular season ends on Thursday, Sept. 11 and that means it's time to start handing out individual awards.
Who will win Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year or Coach of the Year isn't always clear-cut. Sometimes there are multiple players and coaches in the running, and it can be hard to sort what gives one the advantage over another. It gets especially difficult when the final games of the season are days away and voters are still breaking down the many worthy selections.Despite the postseason beginning on Sept. 14, award winners won't be announced for a few weeks. Here's USA TODAY's predictions for the 2025 WNBA's six major awards:
Most Valuable Player
Candidates:
- Naphessa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
- A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Perhaps no race is tighter than than MVP. Out of the gates, Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier was a force. The Lynx jumped out to a 9-0 start, thanks, in part, to Collier's efforts, and had lost three games by the time All-Star weekend arrived in mid-July. During the first half of the season, Collier had 15 games of 20 points or more, 13 matchups with at least two steals and five games with three or more blocks.
Collier unseating reigning MVP, Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson, seemed possible. But Wilson has closed the gap, leading the WNBA in points and blocks per game. Furthermore, Wilson has been one of the driving forces behind Las Vegas' current 14-game win streak, which began after a 53-point blowout loss to the Lynx. The Vegas forward is averaging 27.4 points and 2.1 blocks during the run. If that isn't enough, Wilson also put up the WNBA record (13) for most 30-point games in a single season.
The MVP conversation doesn't end there. It also includes Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, who is averaging nearly a triple-double this year. She broke her own record for triple-doubles (7) in a single season and now has 17 in her career. Thomas also made history in 2025 by surpassing Caitlin Clark's record for most assists in a season, a league record that she also set in 2023. Additionally, the Phoenix veteran is top six or better in assists, rebounds and steals.
Others to consider: Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell
Predicted winner: Wilson, who won in 2020, 2022 and 2024
Defensive Player of the Year
Candidates:
- Naphessa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Alanna Smith, Minnesota Lynx
- Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
- A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
The names that stand out the most on the list are, unsurprisingly, also MVP candidates. Collier, the reigning DPOY, Thomas and Wilson have all emerged as tops in the league in terms of steals, blocks and rebounding. They make life hard for opponents, often causing mayhem while guarding nearly every position on the floor. That sort of productivity is what has all three players ranked top 20 or higher in defensive win shares (the number of wins a player contributes through defense) among players who have played at least 25 games. Collier and Thomas also lead defenses ranked first and third in the league, respectively.
Another under-the-radar candidate is the reigning DPOY's teammate, Lynx center Alanna Smith who ranks third in blocks (1.9) and also adds 1.3 steals per matchup. Transparently, much of what she does won't pop up on a stat sheet, but she's an underrated anchor of Minnesota's defense. Turn on the film, and Smith is often the driving force that powers Lynx's defensive pressure and helps to close lanes and create turnovers. Her presence is part of what helped the Lynx find and maintain its top-rated defense while Collier was out for seven games with an ankle injury.
Others to consider: Seattle Storm guard Gabby Williams
Predicted winner: Too close to call
Most Improved Player
Candidates:
- Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries
Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton is the pick. Burton, who had started 20 total games before this year, has started every game this season for the expansion franchise. The Valkyries guard went from averaging 2.7 points in her career to 12 points this season.
Burton is also averaging career highs in every major statistical category and ranks fifth in the WNBA in assists per game. After Golden State lost its lone All-Star, forward Kayla Thornton, to a season-ending injury, Burton has helped the Valkyries make the playoffs while leading it in points, assists, steals and blocks per game.
Others to consider: Los Angeles Sparks forward Azurá Stevens, Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon
Predicted winner: Burton
Sixth Player of the Year
- Natisha Hiedeman, Minnesota Lynx
- Naz Hillmon, Atlanta Dream
Minnesota Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman and Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon have been swapping positions for Sixth Player of the Year all season. Hillmon seemed to have edged Hiedeman out just after the All-Star Game. The Michigan product is averaging career highs in points, rebounds, assists and blocks and shooting 31% from 3 after making only six attempts from beyond the arc before 2025. Hillmon also ranks 16th in the WNBA in rebounds per game.Hiedeman may be closing in. She's averaging 22 points over the last three games, including a 10-assist double-double against the Dallas Wings earlier this month. What's more, she's eclipsed Hillmon in the points per game with 8.9 and is posting numbers very similar to her career-best year in 2022.
Other candidates to consider: Minnesota Lynx forward Jessica Shepard, Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner
Predicted winner: Hillmon
Rookie of the Year
Candidates:
- Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft for a reason. Bueckers is ranked fifth in the WNBA (19.1) in points per game, eighth in assists per game (5.3) and fifth in steals per game (1.6). She's the only player in the league to rank top 10 or better in each category. Those numbers alone are good enough for Bueckers to get consideration for All-WNBA, but she also leads rookies in efficiency, points and assists.
Even though she missed eight games with an injury, Bueckers was names Rookie of the Month three consecutive times. Not to mention, she's broken numerous rookie and league records, including the most points in a game by a rookie and the first game of 40 points or more in league history on 80% shooting from the field.
Other candidates to consider: Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron, Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen
Predicted winner: Bueckers
Coach of the Year
Candidates:
- Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
- Karl Smesko, Atlanta Dream
The Golden State Valkyries, led by coach Natalie Nakase, broke the record for wins in a season by an expansion franchise (23 and counting) and became the first expansion team in WNBA history to make the playoffs in their inaugural season. Golden State has a chance to lock in a six seed in the playoffs, all while not having a traditional superstar on the roster. Nakase's surge has seemingly pushed her to the front of the Coach of the Year pack, but Atlanta Dream coach Karl Smesko also has a case.
The Dream won 15 games last season and finished eighth in the standings before being swept out of the playoffs by the New York Liberty. Under Smesko, Atlanta has been as high as second in the standings and has nearly doubled its wins with 29. Smesko's win total set a franchise record for most wins in a single season and a league record for the most for a first-year head coach in WNBA history. Furthermore, the Dream had three All-Stars this season, and multiple players are in consideration for awards, including MVP, Sixth Player of the Year, All-WNBA and All-Defense.
Other candidates to consider: Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon
Predicted winner: Nakase
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2025 WNBA awards predictions: From MVP to Rookie of the Year, who will win?
Reporting by Meghan L. Hall, For The Win / USA TODAY
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