The WNBA announced the five finalists for the Most Valuable Player award Friday in what’s expected to be a close decision.
Three-time MVP A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces joined Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray and Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell in the top five in voting.
The league will announce the winner on Sunday morning. It has been viewed as a three-woman race among Wilson, Collier and Thomas.
Wilson, vying for her fourth WNBA MVP award in eight seasons in the league, also won it in 2020, 2022 and 2024. She helped the Aces end the regular season on a 16-game winning streak, averaging 26.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 blocks per game in that run.
ALSO READ | WNBA records highest single-season attendance in 23 years
In 40 games this season, she averaged a league-high 23.4 points plus 10.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Wilson also won co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside Minnesota’s Alanna Smith this week; Wilson ranked second in the league in blocks (92) and third in steals (64).
Collier, 28, was last year’s Defensive Player of the Year and the 2025 All- Star Game MVP. She became the second woman in league history to post a 50-40-90 shooting season, following Elena Delle Donne in 2019; Collier finished the year shooting 53.1 percent from the field, 40.3 percent from 3-point range and 90.6 percent at the foul line.
Collier averaged 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.6 steals per contest over 33 games.
Thomas, who received MVP votes four of the last five seasons and was runner-up in 2023, averaged 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and a league- and career-high 9.2 assists over 39 games.
Mitchell played all 44 games for the Fever and averaged 20.2 points — third in the league to only Wilson and Collier — and 3.4 assists.
Gray put up 18.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in 42 games for the Dream. She finished third in voting for the Most Improved Player award.
Published on Sep 20, 2025