WNBA Players Leading the Way in Overall Impact

If you’ve ever watched a WNBA game and thought to yourself, “this player is doing a little bit of everything out there,” then there’s a statistic that you’d probably fall in love with that measures that exact sentiment. 

Player impact estimate, or PIE, is a stat used to measure the impact that a player is having on a team’s overall success. Whether it’s their percentage of rebounds, assists, points, or blocks, a player’s impact on winning is measured using PIE. It’s very handy for those who don’t love box-score watching and want to get a cleaner idea of just how great a player has been. 

In the WNBA this year, there are five players who have played more than 25 minutes per game on average who are still atop the league in PIE. These five are likely to get some major love in All-Star voting, but if you’re on the fence about your own votes, then this statistic and player breakdown should be tailor made for you. 

1. Napheesa Collier (PIE: 21.3)

A great PIE is considered to be in the range of 10 percent – that means that a player is contributing a decent amount to a team’s success as an individual. Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx is currently sporting a PIE of 21.3 through 11 games played so far this season. If there’s any doubt as to why she’s considered a front-runner for Most Valuable Player right now, her PIE is a good way to justify that sentiment. 

Collier, despite some injury woes to start the year, has been essentially unstoppable on both ends of the floor. Throw a double team at her, and she’s able to fight through it or find a reliable Lynx shooter to drain a shot in her stead. Minnesota is shooting a league best 47.1 percent from the field, which is largely due in part to Collier’s 52.4 percent shooting from the field, and her gravity. While defenders hone in on her, other Lynx shooters prosper with plenty of space to operate. 

The Lynx forward is leading the WNBA in points per game (24.4), points in the paint per game (12.4), and is currently averaging a 50/40/90 stat line – a line that would add her to history books in the WNBA if she managed to maintain it for the entire year. Only Elena Delle Donne has wrapped up a WNBA season with this stat line. 

2. A’ja Wilson (PIE: 19.4)

A’ja Wilson is a perennial candidate for MVP, and her PIE of 19.4 is proof of that. The Las Vegas Aces center hasn’t enjoyed as much success as Collier this season, as the Aces are sitting towards the bottom of the standings in the early aughts of the year. That simply makes her PIE even more impressive. She’s still impacting their ability to win games in a major way, even if her supporting cast hasn’t been as helpful as Collier’s with the Lynx. 

Wilson is currently averaging a league-leading 2.6 blocks per game, is second in the league in rebounds per game (9.8), and is second in the league in usage percentage (30.1). She’s Las Vegas’ engine, which has had its benefits and drawbacks – Wilson is obviously one of the best post players in the league, but has struggled with her three point shot dating back to 2023. She’s also shooting a career-low 43.4 from the field. Wilson’s defense has been her calling card in 2025, and it’s a major part as to why she’s rated so high in her PIE.

3. Aliyah Boston (PIE: 18.4)

If you’re facing off with Aliyah Boston in the paint, good luck – the Indiana Fever center is hitting her shots at a clip of 60.3 percent from the field, which makes her the league leader. Her efficiency in addition to a career-best 1.5 blocks per game and 3.8 assists per game have landed her third amongst players in PIE with a minimum of 25 minutes per game played this season.  

If the Fever were winning more games, Boston’s PIE would probably be even higher. As it stands, she’s been their most consistently impactful player this year, even more so than fellow star Caitlin Clark. Boston’s game is built to bother the league’s best post defenders, like Wilson and Collier, which allow her to get in her bag pretty easily for a third year player. 

Lineups that feature Boston are consistently better in both defensive and offensive rating for Indiana, showing how her two-way dominance should be utilized even more by head coach Stephanie White. 

4. Alyssa Thomas (PIE: 18.4)

Alyssa Thomas’ first year with the Phoenix Mercury has gone about as expected, which is to say she’s immediately become their dream point-forward. The Mercury have been a “feel good” story this season despite having so many All-Star caliber players on its roster (Satou Sabally and Kahleah Copper in addition to Thomas). 

Their rookies have shined, and it’s due in major part to Thomas’ ability to act as the team’s filing cabinet – she is the court organizer, ensuring everyone is where they should be on the floor and generating excellent looks for the team as a result. 

Thomas’ assist percentage (a whopping 50.6 percent) is all you need to see to understand just how impactful she’s been, aside from using her PIE. She’s carrying a major load for the Mercury’s offense without having to score very much. Similarly to Collier, being able to rely on her supporting cast has helped to land her atop the league in assists per game with 8.9, tied with Clark. 

5. Breanna Stewart (PIE: 18.1)

Breanna Stewart hasn’t had a three point shot fall consistently since 2023. She’s also taking less shots this season than she has in her entire career. Yet, she’s still impacting the New York Liberty’s ability to win by hitting the 12.9 shots per game she does take at a clip of 52.4 percent, while carrying a true shooting percentage of 63 percent. 

That’s good for third in the league amongst players who play a minimum of 25 minutes per game. From within the paint, she’s nearly unbeatable – she’s shooting an unreal 75.8 percent from less than five feet from the basket, and an equally impressive 65.5 percent from a distance of 5-9 feet. 

Sure, she hasn’t been as explosive as in recent years with the Liberty as she’s been able to take a backseat to players like Sabrina Ionescu, Natasha Cloud, and Jonquel Jones. However, she’s making the most of her smaller amount of decisions on the court. Stewart’s defense has also lended a hand to her PIE of 18.1, as she’s averaging 4.9 defensive rebounds per game along with 1.2 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. She’s letting the game come to her, which is a sign of a veteran beginning to actually settle into their prime. 

With Jones out for an extended period of time, expect to see Stewart ramp up her shots per game and involvement in the Liberty’s two-way dominance.