The 2025 WNBA MVP has been fascinating, however because the common season involves a detailed on Thursday, there’s one clear option to win the award.
And it is A’ja Wilson. Once more.
Why Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson is the WNBA MVP
Wilson, the three-time MVP, appeared gentle years away from a fourth on the halfway level of the WNBA season.
The Las Vegas Aces, WNBA champions in 2022 and 2023, appeared miles away from title competition, too, as they hovered round .500 looking for their groove after an offseason commerce that despatched one of many cornerstones, Kelsey Plum, to Los Angeles.
Wilson was a preferred decide earlier than the season, not less than amongst those that did not predict Caitlin Clark to interrupt out for the award. Nevertheless, it did not take lengthy for Napheesa Collier, star participant of the Minnesota Lynx, to ascertain herself because the odds-on favourite to win her first WNBA MVP Award.
With sooner or later left within the common season, and one recreation every for Wilson and Collier, the reigning Defensive Participant of the 12 months within the WNBA, who occurs to be the very best participant on the very best staff, has seen her grip on the award loosened.
Minnesota, regardless of a loss to the Fever this week, with out Caitlin Clark, boasts a 33-10 file, together with home-court benefit all through the WNBA playoffs.
The case for Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier to win MVP
Regardless of the oddsmakers, comparable to FanDuel, closely favoring Wilson (-1100) in comparison with Collier (+600), with one recreation to go, Collier’s candidacy is reputable.
Collier was the WNBA MVP runner-up in 2024. Identical to the Lynx completed because the league runner-up to the New York Liberty.
Minnesota has been on a mission to vary that, to win a championship, and has performed prefer it. Collier has too. She’s been so good as a shooter that she’s a 3-for-5 night time from three-point vary from joining the 50-40-90 club
If Collier can hit that quantity, she would be a part of Elena Delle Donne as solely the second participant in WNBA history to shoot 50 p.c from the sector, 40 p.c from three-point vary, and 90 p.c from the free throw line.
That is on high of Collier’s elite defensive potential, though she hasn’t been as dominant on that finish of the ground this season. Her defensive win share was 3.7 final season and dropped to 2.6.
Collier deserves to be the WNBA MVP. Most seasons, she would have it locked down. Delle Donne received the award. Nobody would bat an eye fixed if Collier did this season, particularly with a powerful end on Thursday.
Wilson is not scoring as many factors as she did in 2024. She’s not grabbing as many rebounds or blocking as many photographs. But, for the fourth consecutive season, she’s taking pictures above 50 p.c (50.5). She’s additionally taking pictures the three-point shot (39.3) higher than she ever has.
Wilson is dispensing extra assists, turning the ball over extra, and getting fewer rebounds. Nevertheless, her play through the Aces’ 15-game win streak has made it so none of that issues.
Wilson leads the WNBA in scoring. She leads the WNBA in win shares, and set the league file for probably the most 30-point video games in a season (13). Through the Aces’ 15-game win streak, she scored 30 factors or extra eight occasions. She grew to become the primary participant in league historical past to attain 30 factors and get 20 rebounds in the identical recreation. That was again in August.
The turnaround has been exceptional for Wilson and the Aces. Collier has been extremely spectacular. Nevertheless, Wilson is the WNBA’s finest participant. She’s additionally probably the most useful. Not even a historic season from Collier may change that.
