Veronica Burton’s Remarkable Year

Veronica Burton has had an impressive season, positioning herself as a leading candidate for the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award.

The Golden State Valkyries’ point guard is averaging 11.7 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game—these are all career highs. She helped the Valkyries maintain an 18-17 record throughout the season.

Burton is shooting a career-best 38.3% from beyond the arc and boasts one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the league, recording 2.81 assists per turnover. That’s pretty solid among players who have played at least seven games this season.

This turnaround comes after a challenging time when she was almost overlooked by the Dallas Wings and faced the possibility of leaving the WNBA altogether. However, after being picked up by the Connecticut Sun as a first-round draft choice in 2022, her career has seen a resurgence. Last year, she averaged only 3.1 points and 1.9 assists in about 12.7 minutes of playtime—good enough for a backup but not exactly a star player.

Despite showing potential, she wasn’t protected when the Sun needed to secure six players ahead of the Valkyries’ expansion draft, which allowed Golden State to select her.

With the Valkyries, Burton has started every one of her 35 games, establishing herself as a key player on both offense and defense. Remarkably, she’s also the first player in WNBA history to have three games in a single season with more than 10 assists and zero turnovers. Just recently, she recorded 24 points, 14 assists, and no turnovers in a strong performance.

Last week, during a game against the Washington Mystics, she reached a new career milestone with 30 points, hitting 10 out of 13 field goals and contributing seven rebounds and seven assists.

Before the season began, Burton had shared her high ambitions despite the team’s low overall ranking in the league. She mentioned, “We all have a chip on our shoulders. We’re ready to compete. People often think, ‘In the first year, we’re just figuring things out, so let’s just make the most of it.’ But for me, having a hungry mindset means keeping high expectations.”

These expectations seem to have paid off. Perhaps her successful offseason in Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) had an impact, where she averaged 15 points and 4.9 assists while playing during the winter.

Now at 25 years old, maybe she’s just reached a new peak in her basketball journey.

Other Players to Consider

Burton isn’t the only player whose performance has significantly improved this season. Let’s take a look at others who are in the conversation for Most Improved Player.

For instance, Atlanta Dream forward Naz Hillmon has had a strong season, coming off the bench to average 8.4 points and 5.8 rebounds, an increase from last year’s 5.7 points and 4.8 rebounds. Yet, her efficiency has seen a decline, making her production less impressive compared to Burton’s.

Gabby Williams of the Seattle Storm earned her first All-Star selection at 28. Her defensive skills have solidified her place in the league, and she’s averaging 12.3 points and 4.5 assists, albeit her shooting percentages have slipped slightly.

Alicia Gray from the Dream has scored impressively and is even being discussed as a possible MVP candidate, averaging 18.5 points and 3.7 assists with notable shooting success.

At the Los Angeles Sparks, forward Azura Stevens has also made strides, averaging 14.4 points and 7.9 rebounds, a considerable improvement from last season, though her prior performances had already shown promise.

Valkyries forward Kayla Thornton was named an All-Star this season, but unfortunately, a season-ending knee injury might hinder her recognition moving forward.

Lastly, Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky is another young talent whose improvement is noteworthy. Despite a rocky start, she’s boosted her shooting percentages and nearly doubled her assists. However, being an All-Star in her rookie year means she’s starting from a higher baseline compared to others.

New York Liberty guard Kennedy Burke has also seen a jump in her production, averaging 8.5 points compared to 3.4 last season, showing impressive efficiency. But, like others, her role doesn’t quite match Burton’s impact with the Valkyries.

All these players have solid cases for Most Improved Player, and with nearly a month left in the regular season, it’s still anyone’s game. But right now, Veronica Burton seems to lead the pack for the award.