WNBA End-of-Season Award Decisions: All-WNBA Teams
It’s that time of year again—the moment I face one of my toughest tasks: picking the All-WNBA First and Second Teams.
First, let me share my overall approach to this selection process. For awards like this one, I prioritize winning and usually believe that top-performing teams should be well represented. So, my goal was to include at least one player from each of the eight playoff teams.
This philosophy put players with outstanding individual seasons, such as Marina Mabrey from the Toronto Tempo and Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper from the Phoenix Mercury, at a disadvantage. Quite frankly, they would have needed exceptional seasons—way beyond strong performances—to make the cut.
Anyway, I’ll get into my reasoning shortly, but here are my official picks:
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx
- Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
- Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
- Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
- Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries
- Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
- Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
- Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
- Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics
Why These 10 Players?
To be honest, it was pretty straightforward for me when it came to selecting Olivia Miles and A’ja Wilson for the First Team. Miles has been the standout on the WNBA’s top team, while Wilson has been named MVP and leads in both scoring and shot-blocking. Not much debate there.
As for Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers, they’ve both been phenomenal on teams that are lower-seeded in the playoffs. Normally, that wouldn’t necessarily guarantee them a First Team spot, but their sheer workload—both offensively and defensively—makes them pivotal to their teams’ playoff appearances. Other squads like the Mystics and Dream have more players sharing similar responsibilities, but for the Liberty and Wings, these two are clearly the MVPs. Bueckers ranks as the fifth leading scorer in the WNBA, while Stewart isn’t far behind at seventh.
I had a tough time when considering Kelsey Mitchell for the Second Team, especially given her scoring achievements this season. It boiled down to a choice between her and Caitlin Clark for the First Team, but with the Fever’s overall record, having both just didn’t seem justified. While Mitchell had the more impressive individual scoring stats, Clark emerged as the league’s third-best scorer, known for her playmaking and heavier offensive responsibilities, which ultimately earned her the nod on the First Team.
I found it challenging to omit a First Team player from a Golden State Valkyries squad that boasts the second-best record in the league. However, I incentivized Natalie Nakase as Coach of the Year and recognized three Valkyries players on my First Team All-Defense selections, so they do have representation elsewhere on my ballot.
Now, for the Second Team: Kelsey Mitchell was a clear choice after not making the First Team, having one of the best scoring seasons in WNBA history at 25 points per game while shooting above 51% overall and 45% from three-point range.
The Valkyries also deserved recognition, and I felt that Veronica Burton was their most crucial player, even if she is the third-highest scorer. They might not have a single star but are a well-rounded team, so I thought it was necessary to include one of their players.
I also wanted to make sure the Washington Mystics had representation. Ultimately, I went with Shakira Austin, who has been a key player for the team, though Sonia Citron could also be a strong contender. Austin excels as a rim protector and is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder.
As for Jackie Young, I decided on her because she’s demonstrated exceptional performance as one of the best secondary options in the league, scoring nearly 19 points efficiently on a third-seeded Aces team.
Lastly, Angel Reese has proven to be the most versatile player for the Dream as the season progressed. I selected her as the Defensive Player of the Year; she leads the league in rebounds and averages over 16 points per game, ranking 18th in scoring overall in the WNBA.
A Look at Some Notable Omissions
Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
Aliyah Boston is undoubtedly an All-WNBA caliber player and has been vital on the defensive side for the Fever. However, adding three Fever players didn’t seem justified, especially with the team not being a Top 4 seed. I felt Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell had been more consistent.
Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx
If the Lynx were to have a second player make the All-WNBA team, I’d lean towards Kayla McBride, who has had a stellar season both offensively and defensively. Part of me wanted to reward the Lynx with another spot, especially given that some other teams with worse records received more acknowledgment.
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Rhyne Howard has been crucial for the Dream on both ends. Still, since I could only pick one Dream player, I settled on Angel Reese, whose defensive and rebounding strengths tipped the scale in her favor.
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Allisha Gray was recognized as a First Team player last year, and despite this year not being a decline in her performance, her exclusion this time is more reflective of the league’s overall improvement. Gray has been the Dream’s leading scorer, but Reese’s all-around contributions have been more impactful.
Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
Sonia Citron is one of the top two-way guards in the league, and I seriously considered her for the Mystics spot. While I gave Austin the edge, I wouldn’t argue against any selection that favored Citron.
Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries
With the Valkyries being so dominant, I thought about including Gabby Williams on the Second Team alongside Burton. However, that was a hard choice with Young and Mitchell having more impressive seasons on winning teams. Williams is a top-tier defender and received recognition on my All-Defense First Team.
One thing I’ve realized in my time as a WNBA awards voter is that it’s nearly impossible to feel completely certain about these decisions—and this year’s ballot is no exception.
