The WNBA’s regular season is in the books, and award debates are hitting full stride. Unlike some years, where winners seemed locked in weeks before the final buzzer, the 2025 campaign produced historic performances across the board, leaving the races for MVP, Rookie of the Year, and even Defensive Player of the Year wide open.
Most Valuable Player
Cassandra Negley’s pick: Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
This season’s MVP contest mirrors the intensity of 2023, when no single player had a clear advantage. A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, and Napheesa Collier all crafted seasons that etched their names into history.
Wilson piled up thirteen 30-point games and notched at least ten rebounds in ten of them, powering the Las Vegas Aces from the brink of missing the playoffs to a secure No. 2 seed. Thomas, reinventing herself as a point-forward, logged eight triple-doubles and nearly averaged one for the year. Her fingerprints are on every element of Phoenix’s rise, as she lifted the new-look Mercury to a fourth seed in her first year with the team. And Collier delivered only the second 50/40/90 season in league history, matching Elena Delle Donne’s 2019 MVP campaign while leading Minnesota to the WNBA’s top record.
Negley, after days of wavering, settled on Thomas. Her reasoning? The MVP is the “most valuable” player, not just the best. Thomas altered the game on both ends, controlled matchups, and dominated kWPA far beyond her 2023 levels.
Maggie Hendricks’ pick: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
For Hendricks, the choice fell on Collier. The Lynx forward averaged 22.9 points and 7.1 rebounds, and her influence never faded, even when injuries kept her off the court. Minnesota thrived in part because of her leadership in the locker room and excelled when she returned to action, clinching the league’s top seed and home-court advantage. Collier’s season wasn’t just historic statistically, it was transformational for her team — the very essence of an MVP.
Rookie of the Year
Negley’s pick: Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
Citron entered the league without major expectations, yet she immediately became a central figure for Washington. She posted 14.9 points per game, shot 44.5 percent from deep, and secured an All-Star appearance in her rookie campaign. Even though the Mystics slipped after trading Brittney Sykes, Citron’s consistency kept them competitive late into the season.
Hendricks’ pick: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Bueckers, the No. 1 pick, carried heavy pressure into her debut season after winning a national championship at UConn. She responded with poise, averaging 19.5 points per game — fifth among all WNBA players — and leading rookies with 5.4 assists. Injuries around her didn’t shake her composure; instead, she shouldered the responsibility of keeping Dallas afloat. Her stats tell part of the story, but her steadiness under pressure is what sets her apart.
Defensive Player of the Year
Negley’s pick: Alanna Smith, Minnesota Lynx
Smith doesn’t overwhelm with raw numbers, aside from her 1.9 blocks per game, but her value to Minnesota’s top-ranked defense is undeniable. Undersized as a center, she battled through mismatches and anchored the Lynx during critical stretches. Coach Cheryl Reeve praised her as “incredible” for the way she changes opposing game plans simply by being on the court.
Hendricks’ pick: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson, however, makes the defensive case impossible to ignore. She led the league in blocks (2.3 per game), ranked second in rebounds (10.2), and finished in the top ten for steals (1.6). Beyond the numbers, her presence intimidated opponents into avoiding the paint altogether. Her emphatic blocks and relentless activity made her defense not only effective but electrifying.
Coach of the Year
Both writers chose Natalie Nakase of the Golden State Valkyries. In her first year as head coach, Nakase guided an expansion roster of overlooked role players into the postseason. Her system elevated Kayla Thornton to All-Star status before injury, and even after Thornton went down, the Valkyries finished strong, clinching a playoff berth. Few thought an expansion squad could accomplish such a feat in year one.
Sixth Player of the Year
Both Negley and Hendricks: Natisha Hiedeman, Minnesota Lynx
Hiedeman was a spark off the bench for Minnesota’s league-best offense, averaging 9.1 points and 2.8 assists. She hit clutch shots in late-game stretches and provided stability in tight moments. As part of the StudBudz duo, she became the definition of a sixth player who makes a winning impact.
Most Improved Player
Negley’s pick: Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries
Burton’s growth stood out as she moved from a defensive specialist to a true floor leader. Her efficiency improved, her passing sharpened, and her turnover-free ten-assist games highlighted her leap. She became a cornerstone in the Valkyries’ inaugural playoff push.
Hendricks’ pick: Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries
Thornton may have played only 22 games before a season-ending injury, but the leap she made in that time was undeniable. She raised her scoring average from 5.5 to 14 points, earned her first All-Star selection in her 10th season, and rounded out her game in a way that surprised many across the league.
