Phee, A’ja or AT? It feels impossible to choose the 2025 WNBA MVP

Queen Phee. M’V4. The Engine.

When it comes the 2025 WNBA MVP award, it’s easy suggest that, “There’s no wrong answer.” All of Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson and Alyssa Thomas have normalized excellence, threatening to break another record, set a new standard or surpass yet another milestone every time they step on the court. Yet, the statistical achievements tell only half the story. The three are leaders, inspiring the best from their teammates as they have powered their teams into title contention

But, there can only be one answer. Here are the MVP cases for Phee, A’ja and AT:

Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)

Napheesa Collier is having an incredible two-way season, while leading the Lynx to historical regular-season heights. According to Basketball-Reference, the Lynx have a net rating of 12.6, which would rank 9th in WNBA history. Of those eight teams ahead of them, five teams had a player receive the MVP award in that season (with the 2023 Aces, 2020 Storm and 1999 Comets being the only exceptions). Simply put, the odds are in her favor.

Collier is currently second in the league in scoring, averaging 23 points per game on 63 percent true shooting. After last week’s loss to Las Vegas, Wilson currently has a half point edge, but with a 3.5 percent efficiency edge for Napheesa, it can be argued Collier is the best scorer in the game. Her efficiency on pick-and-roll actions is gamebreaking. Synergy ranks Collier as the most efficient scorer among bigs involved in at least three pick-and-rolls per game. A large part of her effectiveness comes from the improved outside shooting. Last year she shot 3 percent from 3 on three attempts per game; this year, it’s 39 percent on four threes.

Only Kayla McBride, Kelsey Mitchell and a handful of other guards and wings have similar 3-point efficiency on higher volume. The point being, Collier provides a level of shooting and spacing that very few bigs in league history can ever boast. This makes her value on offense, in a way, unquantifiable. There is no stat to perfectly capture someone’s skill or impact on offense, but Collier and the Lynx improve by about eight points per 100 possessions on offense alone when she plays. A 115 offensive rating with Collier on the floor is the highest number of any qualifying player.

Defensively, Collier has also been stellar. It feels redundant to mention the steal and block numbers she’s posting, combined with the defensive versatility that allows Minnesota to play a switch-heavy scheme. Collier has once again been one of the best defenders in the league. Combined with her being the most versatile and efficient scorer in the league, it’s no surprise that the Lynx own the best record, offensive rating and defensive rating when she plays. — Josh Felton

A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)

While some had Napheesa Collier as the early MVP favorite and critics were ready to bury the Aces, A’ja Wilson has thrown a wrench into those too-soon predictions.

Las Vegas has currently been on a historic run, having won 14-straight games—and Wilson is a big reason why. Just when it seemed like there was nothing else she could do, she has transcended to another ungodly level of performance, execution and efficiency. Wilson is averaging 23.6 points per game, which is the most in the WNBA. She’s also doing that while shooting 50.2 percent from the field. Her rebounding numbers are 10.1 per contest, making her an automatic double-double machine.

On the defensive side of the ball, she continues to neutralize her competition. Wilson is averaging 2.2 blocks, also a WNBA-high, in addition to her 1.5 steals per game. Her ability to defend at such an unreal level often discourages the team from attacking the paint or any areas Wilson can cover. And when they do take their chances, they are frequently reminded why that’s not a good idea.

How “most valuable” should be defined is something basketball fans have been debating since the existence of MVP awards. When I think of the award and its meaning, I consider it being a player that is irreplaceable. Someone who is so important to the team’s success that they not only establish a high floor, but they raise the team’s ceiling. And without them, a team’s best and worst outcomes plummet to a level far below what they would be when said MVP player is available.

Based on all of those factors, there is no other WNBA player who means more or does more for their team than Wilson. A’ja won the award in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and based on her production, value and importance, she’s a shoo-in for the honor once again. — Edwin Garcia

Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury)

Where would the Mercury be without Alyssa Thomas?

She’s been nothing short of fantastic in her first year in Phoenix, leading the Mercury to what’s looking to be a top-four playoff seed, and her fingerprints are all over the team’s success. Her rebounding and playmaking at the power forward position have enabled the Mercury to thrive with a free-flowing, “positionless” style of basketball. And as was the case throughout her years with the Connecticut Sun, her versatility and all-out effort on the defensive end of the court has embodied a Phoenix defense that is aggressive and highly adept at forcing turnovers.

Thomas’ statistical case is also a strong one. For a player who’s been known to stuff the stat sheet throughout her career, Thomas has outdone herself in 2025, averaging 15.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and a league-leading 9.2 assists per game. Let’s not forget about the superlatives, either; Thomas has recorded seven triple-doubles this season, breaking her own single-season record of six and bringing her career total to 18—a monumental achievement that future players are going to have to work impossibly hard to surpass.

The MVP award almost always comes down to the best players on the best teams, and the debate often includes what exactly “value” means. As it currently stands, the Mercury are one of the best teams in the WNBA, and Thomas has been their driving force in every phase of the game. It would be hard for any one player to be more impactful for their respective team than Thomas has been for the Mercury, and though she’s fallen just short of MVP honors in previous years, her case has never been stronger than it is in 2025. — Eric Nemchock