WNBA’s Most Improved Player Considerations

Choosing Veronica Burton as the most improved player in the WNBA felt like a no-brainer for me. Honestly, she’s the most improved player we’ve seen in quite some time. Not only does she shine on the court, but she’s also one of the league’s most effective two-way guards.

This past season, Burton made quite the leap. From being more of a bench player—remember, she was let go by the Dallas Wings last June—she’s transformed into an All-Star guard for the Golden State Valkyries.

Burton, last season with the Connecticut Sun, was putting up 3.1 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 rebounds, with a field goal percentage of 36% and a true shooting percentage (TS%) at 54.4. After the season wrapped up, she entered her fourth WNBA season with the Valkyries, as she was among those not retained by the Sun in the expansion draft.

As the starting point guard for the Valkyries this year, her averages climbed to 12 points, six assists, and 4.4 rebounds. Generally, when players increase their shot attempts, their efficiency tends to drop, but that’s not the case for Burton. She upped her field goal percentage to 39.3%—a 3.3% bump—and achieved a TS% of 56.8, increasing by 2.4%. Plus, she often steps up to guide new teams into the playoffs while guarding the opposing team’s top players.

As I considered the WNBA Award decisions, this one was the simplest for me.

Other Candidates for Most Improved Player

The Valkyries had a bunch of players who could qualify as most improved, which makes sense given that they were previously benchwarmers.

Kayla Thornton, at 32, was the first All-Star pick and had a pretty compelling argument for improvement. After transitioning from the New York Liberty, she increased her average from 5.5 points and 2.6 rebounds to 14 points and 7 rebounds per game. However, her case fell short compared to Burton’s for a couple of reasons.

First, she missed half of the team’s games due to a knee injury. While I understand the requirements for WNBA awards, my personal guideline was that players needed to participate in more than half of the total games—44 this season.

Additionally, Thornton’s efficiency declined as her role expanded. She shot 35.7% from three-point range last season, but that dipped to 28.2% this year. Her TS% also dropped from 51.5% to 49.3%.

Then there’s Azura Stevens from the Los Angeles Sparks. She made a solid case, but her improvements weren’t as drastic as Burton’s. She was already doing well, but simply got better in familiar roles.

Last season, Stevens averaged 9.6 points and seven rebounds, shooting 39.9% from the field and finishing with a 50.6 TS%. This season, her averages crept up to 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds, with shooting numbers improving to 48% and a TS% of 59.6. While that’s impressive, it’s worth noting that her previous performances were similar, weakening her claim for most improved.

Another name in the mix is Kennedy Burke from the Liberty. Her production grew this year as well, averaging 8.2 points and 2.4 rebounds after posting 3.4 points and 1.5 rebounds last year. Her efficiency has also improved, hitting 46.7% from the field and a TS% of 60.4.

But comparing her importance to Burton’s is tough. Burton is crucial to her Valkyries as a leader during the postseason, whereas Burke seems to be working from a less critical role on her team.

There were many players worth mentioning in the WNBA, including:

• Alicha Gray from the Atlanta Dream, who showed significant efficiency gains on her way to an MVP campaign.
• Alyssa Thomas, already a tremendous player with notable improvements in her stats.
• Courtney Williams from the Minnesota Lynx had a standout All-Star season, contributing to a strong Lynx campaign.

Why Veronica Burton Stands Out

Ultimately, these other players were already All-Stars, which complicates their cases. Yes, they’ve improved, but they were already performing well. I think Gray had a good argument too, but I’ll give her a nod elsewhere in my awards.

A common critique of Burton’s season is that her growth stemmed from increased minutes—jumping from 12.7 to 29.3 per game. Still, that’s often a hallmark of the most improved player narrative. Dihony Carrington, who won the award with the Sun last year, saw her minutes rise significantly, too.

What’s impressive about Burton isn’t just the numbers; she’s taken on a leadership role, pushing her team further than expected as the first expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural year.

She set records for assists in a single season and posted some stunning stats last month, including 25 points, three assists, four blocks, and five rebounds against the Wings. Plus, she tied the record for most assists in a game without committing a turnover.

Burton excels on both ends of the court and makes smart decisions, helping the Valkyries thrive. I’ve gone back and forth on this award decision, but honestly, it’s been one of the clearest choices for me.