The 2025 WNBA season has delivered on every front — dramatic comebacks, record-breaking performances, surprise storylines, and, most notably, a slate of standout individual campaigns that have reshaped the race for every major award. As we reach the midpoint of the season and prepare for the All-Star Game, the latest ESPN midseason tracker offers a comprehensive look at who’s leading the way across all categories. From Napheesa Collier’s MVP dominance and Paige Bueckers’ generational rookie season to Allisha Gray’s offensive leap, Kennedy Burke’s bench brilliance, and Natalie Nakase’s stunning debut as a head coach, the league is thriving with talent and transformation.
Napheesa Collier – Most Valuable Player
Leading the MVP race with emphatic authority is Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx. The 2024 MVP runner-up has elevated her game to another level in 2025, guiding the Lynx to a league-best 20-4 record while leading the WNBA in scoring with 23.9 points per game. Her career-best shooting splits — 52.1% from the field and 95.6% from the free-throw line — underscore her efficiency, while her impact goes far beyond scoring. Collier is also averaging 7.7 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.7 steals per game, ranking top-five in each of the three major defensive metrics. These two-way contributions have made her indispensable for the Lynx, who boast both the league’s top offense and defense.
What sets Collier apart this season is her consistency and leadership. She’s served as the emotional and tactical anchor for a Lynx team that has dominated the first half of the year. Whether orchestrating the offense or locking down opponents defensively, Collier has done it all — and done it with poise. She will captain one of the All-Star teams, further solidifying her place as the face of the league’s current generation.
Challenging her for the MVP crown is Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas, who has thrived in her new setting after 11 years with the Connecticut Sun. Thomas, a powerful post player and elite facilitator, leads the league in assists with 9.5 per game while chipping in 15.4 points and 7.5 rebounds. Her unique ability to control games as a forward-sized playmaker is unmatched, and she recently set a WNBA record with her 16th career triple-double. She’s kept Phoenix near the top of the standings despite roster changes and injuries, making her the strongest threat to Collier’s MVP run.
Paige Bueckers – Rookie of the Year
Few rookies in WNBA history have arrived with the same expectations as Paige Bueckers, and even fewer have lived up to the hype in such a short span. The Dallas Wings guard has seized full control of the Rookie of the Year race, even after missing four games due to injury and illness. Upon returning, Bueckers reasserted her dominance immediately, showcasing her full skillset on both ends of the floor. She leads all rookies in scoring (18.3), assists (5.4), steals (1.7), and minutes (34.7) per game. Among all WNBA players, Bueckers ranks top-10 in scoring and is one of just four players averaging 18+ points and 5+ assists, joining the likes of Sabrina Ionescu, Kelsey Plum, and Skylar Diggins-Smith.
Despite Dallas’ slow start to the season — opening 1-11 — Bueckers has helped ignite a modest turnaround, with the Wings now 5-5 in their last 10 games. She became the fastest rookie in league history to reach 200 points and 50 assists, accomplishing the feat in just 11 games. Her floor vision, shooting accuracy, and tenacity on defense have elevated a battered Dallas team, making her impact even more pronounced. Bueckers’ All-Star starter selection in her debut season only cements what has been a truly historic rookie campaign.
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In Washington, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen have impressed in their own right and remain top challengers. Citron, a do-it-all guard with a calm demeanor and sharp shooting stroke, ranks second among rookies in scoring (14.1 PPG) and has played the second-most minutes behind Bueckers. She’s emerged as the Mystics’ most reliable clutch scorer and earned a deserved All-Star nod. Iriafen, meanwhile, has already logged seven double-doubles, setting a Mystics rookie record. Her 8.5 rebounds per game lead all rookies and place her fourth in the league overall. While both have exceeded expectations, it’s Bueckers’ transcendent talent that stands alone at the top.
Allisha Gray – Most Improved Player
Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray has exploded into All-Star stardom in 2025, becoming the first Dream player to start in the midseason showcase since 2018. Her offensive game has blossomed under new head coach Karl Smesko, with Gray averaging a career-high 19.4 points on 42.6% shooting from the field and a blistering 41.6% from three. Her ability to score at all three levels while maintaining elite efficiency has transformed her from a secondary option into Atlanta’s offensive engine.
Gray’s leap in production hasn’t come with a drop in consistency — she’s been reliable night in and night out, even as opposing defenses key in on her. She is recording career-highs across nearly every statistical category, and her transformation into an elite scorer has been pivotal for Atlanta’s playoff push.
Among the top contenders for the award are Golden State’s Kayla Thornton, who has embraced a starring role with the expansion franchise, and Los Angeles Sparks forward Azura Stevens, who is quietly having her best season yet. Thornton is averaging 15.1 points per game — nearly double last year’s output — and has helped power the Valkyries to a surprising playoff position. Stevens, back to full health, is scoring 14.9 points per game and hauling in a career-high 8.5 rebounds, while shooting 50% from the field and 40.6% from three.
Others like Brittney Sykes, Rae Burrell, and Veronica Burton have also turned heads, each thriving in expanded roles for their respective teams. Still, Gray’s offensive explosion makes her the clear leader at this point.
Kennedy Burke – Sixth Player of the Year
In New York, Kennedy Burke has carved out a vital role for the title-contending Liberty as the league’s most impactful bench contributor. The 28-year-old guard is averaging 10.0 points per game off the bench — compared to just 7.7 in her starts — and has become one of the WNBA’s most efficient perimeter shooters, hitting 47.9% of her threes. Her defensive intensity and shot-making have been instrumental in maintaining the Liberty’s rhythm, especially with Jonquel Jones sidelined.
Though Burke has made six starts due to injuries, her best work has come as a reserve, where she provides the Liberty with spark, spacing, and tenacity. She’s stepped into the void left by the departures of Thornton and Laney-Hamilton and continues to shine in high-pressure moments, contributing to New York’s top-tier standing.
Minnesota’s Jessica Shepard, Atlanta’s Naz Hillmon, and Lynx guard Natisha Heideman round out the top candidates. Shepard’s versatility and rebounding have helped anchor Minnesota’s bench, while Heideman boasts the highest on-court net rating (15.1) among Lynx players with 300+ minutes. Hillmon has been Atlanta’s most efficient player by net rating and often swings games when she logs heavy minutes. Nevertheless, Burke’s consistency and shot-making place her in pole position for this award.
Natalie Nakase – Coach of the Year
In her first season as a WNBA head coach, Natalie Nakase has redefined what’s possible for expansion teams. The Golden State Valkyries are 10-9 — already the most wins by a WNBA expansion team in league history — and they’re firmly in the playoff race. Nakase has created a defensive juggernaut, ranking second in defensive rating behind only the Lynx, while building an offense that sits comfortably in the league’s top 10.
What makes Nakase’s success more impressive is the cohesiveness she’s developed with a brand-new roster. Her players have bought into her vision from Day 1, and the results speak for themselves. Golden State’s disciplined play, balanced scoring, and defensive grit have made them one of the league’s most compelling stories.
Congratulations to the @valkyries very own Natalie Nakase for being named June Coach of the Month
This marks Nakase’s first COTM honor of her career!
GSV record in June: 7-4 pic.twitter.com/GQfqhlxLWf
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 3, 2025
Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts is the top challenger, having taken a retooled roster — led by Alyssa Thomas and Satou Sabally — and turned them into title contenders. Despite major offseason changes and losing Kahleah Copper early to injury, Tibbetts has managed five players averaging double-digit scoring and the third-best defense in the league.
Cheryl Reeve of Minnesota remains in contention, having led her team to first place with the best offensive and defensive efficiency ratings. Her system emphasizes ball movement and discipline, and both starters and bench players are performing at an elite level, proving her system’s depth and adaptability.
As the second half of the WNBA season looms, the award races remain dynamic, but the frontrunners have made strong early cases. Napheesa Collier’s all-around dominance, Paige Bueckers’ record-breaking rookie season, Allisha Gray’s scoring surge, Kennedy Burke’s clutch bench play, and Natalie Nakase’s unprecedented coaching success are not just midseason trends — they’re shaping what could become one of the most memorable seasons in league history. With so much still to be determined, the only certainty is that the WNBA’s stars, both established and emerging, will continue to elevate the game in extraordinary ways.
