Ranking the Top-10 Players in the WNBA in 2024

One of the most underrated players in the game, Jonquel Jones is on a superteam but is holding her own. Jones is averaging 15.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, a 55.5 field goal percentage, shooting 39.2% from the three, and currently has eight double-doubles. With how stacked the Liberty are, it is no surprise that Jones is able to thrive on this team, as she has been a major threat in the paint too. Averaging 7.8 points in the paint, she is also great at getting to the line where she averages 3.5 personal fouls drawn. Jones also is second amongst the rest of the centers in defensive rating, with 94.3%, but she has the highest offensive rating amongst centers with 108.5%. The New York Liberty have three players on this list, and Jonquel Jones is able to make a name for herself because of how well she is doing offensively and defensively.

Kahleah Copper is another underrated player in the league, as she is currently averaging 23.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, shooting 45.4 from the field, and 33.1% from the three. Copper is a big factor for the Phoenix Mercury, as she accounts for 34.2% of their points. In clutch time, the Mercury relies on Copper to get the job done, and she has been delivering when they need her the most. Copper accounts for 33.9% of the Mercury’s field goals made, and 37.8% of the Mercury’s free throws made. Her ability to get to the line helps the Mercury a lot, however in clutch time, Copper is averaging the second most points in the league and the highest three-point percentage. Copper is extremely valuable to the Mercury, as her teammates are able to create opportunities for her to score, especially in crunch time.

Dearica Hamby is carrying the Los Angeles Sparks right now, being the main scorer and leader for the Sparks as well. Right now, Hamby is currently averaging 19.2 points, 10 rebounds, with a 52% field goal percentage, and shooting 40.4% from the three. Hamby has a lot of pressure on her to be the best, as she is the main player right now on the Sparks, and she is playing the most minutes for Los Angeles. Hamby is averaging 4.6 personal fouls drawn, which gets her to the line a lot, but also 12.7 points in the paint, which allows her to be a threat. Hamby averages 27.6% of the Spark’s points, 35.6% of the Spark’s rebounds, 30% of the Spark’s field goals made, and 27.4% of the team’s personal fouls drawn. This makes her the most important player to a Sparks team that has suffered critical injuries so far.

Nneka Ogwumike deserves some respect, especially for her efficiency on the court. Ogwumike is currently averaging 17.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, shooting 52.4 from the field, and shooting 41% from the three. With an offensive rating of 105 and defensive rating of 92.4, Ogwumike is just an all-around threat. She does have a defensive win share of 0.207 and being part of the Seattle Storm’s “super team,” she is the best player all around on the team. Nneka Ogwumike accounts for 25.5% of the Storm’s points, 27.5% of the Storm’s field goals made, and 27.3% of the Storm’s rebounds. Having found a home in Seattle, she is a crucial player to the Storm having a great season.

Alyssa Thomas is a top end forward for the Connecticut Sun, as well the best player on the Connecticut team. Statistically she may not be the best in points, but her all around offensive and defensive game is what makes her a great player. Right now, Thomas currently averages 11.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists, shooting 52 from the field, 1.5 steals, and a plus-minus of 5.6. Thomas already has nine double-doubles and two triple-doubles, with the addition of Marina Mabrey, this could allow for more stability for the Sun and Thomas as a whole to thrive towards a championship. Alyssa Thomas is the glue for the Sun, and distributes the ball extremely well, which is why the Sun are able to win games.

Young is averaging 18.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, shooting 45% from the field, and shooting 34.3% from the three. Young is the second most important player on the Aces, where she accounts for 25.1% of the Aces points, which is the second most behind A’ja Wilson for the Aces as a team. On a team with Kelsey Plum, A’ja Wilson, and Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young cements her place as she is statistically the Aces best guard. A silent assassin as many call her, Jackie Young plays a pivotal role with her ability to lock up some of the best offensive players, at the same time even carrying the Aces offensively if her teammates’ shots aren’t hitting. Jackie Young is more important to the Aces than people think. Young, who has the best assist/turnover ratio in the league of 2.29, shows she is not just a scorer, but she can distribute the ball as well. On a team with Chelsea Gray who is known for her passing, this makes the Aces offense just more elite, as Jackie Young is elite in nearly every category, especially for a guard, this just makes her even more important.

Breanna Stewart doesn’t get enough credit for how she plays on the court for the New York Liberty. She may not be putting up MVP numbers like last season, but she is playing at top tier level and is extremely dominant on the court. Breanna Stewart is averaging 19.3 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, 1.5 blocks, with a 45.4 field goal percentage, and a plus-minus of nine. For the New York Liberty, Breanna Stewart is a key player to their championship-built team, she accounts for 25.6% of the Liberty’s points, and she holds the second highest win share percentage with .257. Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu really shape the Liberty, but without Stewart’s passing IQ and vision itself, the Liberty wouldn’t necessarily be where they are right now.

Napheesa Collier is the best defensive player in the league right now. The front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year, Collier is leading the league with the highest defensive win shares of 0.251, and a top tier defensive rating of 90.7. On average Collier is recording 20 points, 10.2 rebounds, a 46.8 field goal percentage, 2.2 steals, and a plus-minus of 7.9. Although Collier got injured towards the end of the first half of the season, we saw how extremely important she is to the Minnesota Lynx, who lost games they would have won if she were playing. At 6’1, Collier has a block percentage of 29.9%, which has been huge for the Lynx defensively. All around, Collier is a threat offensively and defensively, she accounts for 28.1% of the Lynx points, and 29.4% of the Lynx’s field goals made. The Minnesota Lynx have their eyes set on a championship this year, and Napheesa Collier has the capability to lead them to one.

Sabrina Ionescu has been dominant towards the end of the first half of the season. Right now Ionescu is averaging 19.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.1 assists, shooting 42.5% from the field, and 35.7% from the three. Towards the end of the first half of the season, the New York Liberty were playing through Ionescu which has worked out very well. Ionescu has played extremely dominant that she is sneaking up in MVP conversations, although that award is reserved for one player right now. Ionescu has the highest offensive rating in the league with 109.5, she is actually tied for first with her teammate Breanna Stewart. Ionescu accounts for 33.3% of Liberty’s three pointers made, 25.8% of Liberty’s field goals made, and 26.7% of Liberty’s points. Ionescu has taken a good leap, to the point she is the most important player right now on the New York Liberty.

There is no doubt that A’ja Wilson is the best player in the WNBA right now. While her stats are phenomenal and Wilson is on a historical season, she is the face of the Las Vegas Aces. The Aces rely on A’ja Wilson to lead them to wins and she has delivered nearly every single game. Nobody else in the league is doing what Wilson is doing, as she has had 11 games with 25+ points and 10+ rebounds which is the most in a single season in WNBA history, she is also the first player in WNBA history to record three straight games with 20+ points and 15+ rebounds. No other player is putting up a statline like A’ja Wilson, who is averaging 27.2 points, 12 rebounds, 2.4 assists, shooting 52.2% from the field, and a career best 39.5% from the three. A’ja Wilson is extremely important to the Aces, she’s the face of the WNBA as well.