WNBA analyst perplexed by Napheesa Collier’s lowly ranking in MVP odds

WNBA analyst Rachel Ann DeMita questioned Napheesa Collier’s odds of winning the 2025 MVP award. After securing the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award, she has repeatedly talked about taking her game to the next level and adding more accolades to her career.

However, oddsmakers have her low in the MVP conversation, as she sits fourth in MVP odds (+650), behind A’ja Wilson (+185), Caitlin Clark (+250) and Breanna Stewart (+600). DeMita had a strong reaction to this, calling Collier “underrated” on Thursday.

“No. 3 on this list actually surprises me,” she said. :”Me personally would have Napheesa Collier at one or two.”

“I’m such a fan of Napheesa Collier’s game and I don’t think that there’s much missing from her game, I don’t think there’s many flaws in her game on both ends of the court. I feel like she’s highly underrated for whatever reason I don’t truly understand it.”

DeMita said Collier’s recent run in women’s basketball — reaching the WNBA Finals and winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, leading Unrivaled in scoring and winning the offseason league’s 1-on-1 tournament — should have her ranked higher.

“I just don’t necessarily understand why Napheesa Collier, at this point — she was in the WNBA Finals, she is clear MVP in Unrivaled, she just won the 1v1 tournament,” DeMita said (2:20 mark)

She has proven herself over and over and over again, especially last season what a great player that she is and for some reason, she continues to fly under the radar.”

Napheesa Collier has become one of the top WNBA players

Napheesa Collier has established herself as one of the best two-way players in the WNBA in recent years, elevating her offensive game season after season while also increasing her steal and block numbers.

Last season, she averaged 20.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, along with 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. She shot 49.2% from the field and 80.4% from the free-throw line.

Additionally, Collier led her team to the No. 2 seed in the league and a WNBA Finals appearance. Unfortunately, they couldn’t move past the New York Liberty, but the forward proved she could lead her team to compete for the biggest prize.

Despite losing in last year’s Finals, the Minnesota Lynx are considered one of the favorites to win it all this season.

Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro