WNBA · 3 days ago

Ranking The Top 15 WNBA Players Right Now: Clark Slides, Miles Surges

Paul Connor

Host · Writer

1. A'ja Wilson, C, Las Vegas Aces
2026 Stats: 26.4 PPG | 9.3 RPG | 3.3 APG | 1.1 SPG | 2.3 BPG

Death, taxes, and A'ja Wilson dominating the WNBA. The four-time MVP remains the undisputed gold standard, sitting tops in both scoring and blocks while anchoring a 9-3 Aces squad. But the truly terrifying part for the rest of the league? Wilson has seemingly weaponized her three-point touch, shooting a blistering 55.2% from downtown on 2.4 attempts per contest. Taking an already unguardable interior force and giving her range has created a math problem that no defense in basketball can solve.
Introduction
We're a quarter of the way through the 2026 WNBA campaign, and the league's hierarchy has never been more exciting.

With early-season performances starting to shape the conversation, here is my take on the top 15 players right now.
15. Chennedy Carter, PG, Las Vegas Aces
2026 Stats: 15.6 PPG | 2.1 RPG | 1.4 APG | 1.1 SPG | 0.3 BPG

Don't let her limited playing time fool you. Chennedy Carter is logging just under 20 minutes a night, but her offensive efficiency off the bench has been absolutely nuclear. The 27-year-old is pouring in 15.6 points per game on astounding 62.8% shooting, single-handedly turning the Aces' second unit into a nightmare for opposing defenses. Carter's smaller role is the only thing keeping her at the bottom of this tier. Strictly based on per-minute production, she is playing like a superstar.
14. Jessica Shepard, C, Dallas Wings
2026 Stats: 13.7 PPG | 11.1 RPG | 5.8 APG | 0.7 SPG | 0.0 BPG

You won't see her name dominating the highlight reels, yet Jessica Shepard is quietly authoring one of the most vital under-the-radar campaigns of 2026. Ranking second in the league in rebounding, her elite work on the glass secures crucial extra possessions. Add in pinpoint frontcourt passing and highly efficient finishing, and Shepard has emerged as the perfect, gritty counterbalance to Paige Bueckers' perimeter magic. She isn't flashy, just indispensable.
13. Angel Reese, PF, Atlanta Dream
2026 Stats: 14.6 PPG | 11.9 RPG | 3.2 APG | 1.4 SPG | 0.9 BPG

No one cleans the glass quite like the "ATL Barbie." Angel Reese is currently pacing the WNBA with 11.9 rebounds per contest, relentlessly stacking double-doubles and generating second-chance points through sheer force of will. Her arrival this offseason instantly gave the Dream the bruising interior identity they desperately needed. If Reese's scoring efficiency (43.1%) catches up to her rebounding and she tightens up her turnovers (3.9), she'll easily crack the top 10.
12. Alyssa Thomas, PF, Phoenix Mercury
2026 Stats: 14.8 PPG | 7.2 RPG | 7.8 APG | 1.8 SPG | 0.2 BPG

It feels criminal to rank a player of Alyssa Thomas's caliber this low. The veteran forward remains one of basketball's most unique offensive engines, currently sitting second league-wide in assists (7.8 APG) while continuing to defend, rebound, and dissect coverages from the high post. Unfortunately, the Mercury's brutal 4-10 start weighs heavily on her placement. Put Thomas on a winning roster right now, and she rockets up this list.
11. Brittney Sykes, G, Toronto Tempo
2026 Stats: 21.6 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 3.5 APG | 1.6 SPG | 0.4 BPG

Building an expansion franchise from scratch is supposed to be painful, but Brittney Sykes didn't get the memo. As the tone-setter for the inaugural Toronto Tempo (7-5), Sykes is shouldering a massive two-way workload, attacking downhill with relentless aggression to the tune of 21.6 points per game. Yes, her shooting splits (40.7% from the field, 25.9% from deep) show the strain of being a primary option. But Sykes' sheer volume, elite defensive edge, and ability to keep a brand-new team immediately competitive make her top-11 status undeniable.
10. Kelsey Mitchell, SG, Indiana Fever
2026 Stats: 20.4 PPG | 1.4 RPG | 2.5 APG | 0.9 SPG | 0.1 BPG

Sometimes, you just need a player who can go get a bucket, and Kelsey Mitchell remains one of the premier isolation scorers in the sport. Tied for fourth in league scoring, Mitchell thrives against single coverage, forcing defenses into impossible choices when trying to contain both her and Caitlin Clark. Mitchell might not stuff the stat sheet like the players ranked ahead of her, but her offensive firepower is simply too vital to ignore.
9. Allisha Gray, SG, Atlanta Dream
2026 Stats: 19.1 PPG | 3.8 RPG | 1.8 APG | 1.3 SPG | 0.4 BPG

Allisha Gray continues to go about her business. The veteran “silent assassin” is scoring at a career-best clip while still giving Atlanta steady, physical defense against high-level perimeter threats. In a league defined by flashy superstars, Gray's consistency and strong two-way play are the exact reasons the Dream (8-4) looks like a legitimate title threat.
8. Natasha Howard, PF, Minnesota Lynx
2026 Stats: 17.4 PPG | 7.3 RPG | 3.3 APG | 1.6 SPG | 0.8 BPG

Natasha Howard has been vital to Minnesota's 10-2 start. The veteran forward is finishing at an astronomical 65.2% clip, blending hyper-efficient scoring with versatile, multi-positional defense. She rebounds, she facilitates, and she provides stabilizing structure for Minnesota's explosive young backcourt. This isn't just a veteran compiling empty stats; it is the definition of winning basketball inside a beautifully functioning system.
7. Rhyne Howard, SF/SG, Atlanta Dream
2026 Stats: 18.5 PPG | 3.5 RPG | 3.5 APG | 3.2 SPG | 0.6 BPG

Two-way dominance is the hallmark of Rhyne Howard's game right now. Not only is she spacing the floor and scoring effectively, but she is also an absolute menace on the other end, leading the WNBA with 3.2 steals per contest. What makes Howard so dangerous is her ability to swing the momentum of a game without ever having a play run for her. On an Atlanta team loaded with talent, her disruptive perimeter defense and offensive versatility make Howard the ultimate modern wing.
6. Caitlin Clark, PG, Indiana Fever
2026 Stats: 19.9 PPG | 4.7 RPG | 8.1 APG | 0.9 SPG | 0.7 BPG

Detractors will point to poor efficiency (39.0 FG%) and turnovers (4.4), and that's precisely why Clark slides just outside my top five. That said, her gravitational pull on a basketball court is unparalleled. Pacing the league in assists, the superstar routinely forces defenses to stretch 30 feet from the hoop, opening up passing lanes that don't exist for other point guards. Even on nights when her shot isn't falling, Clark fundamentally alters the geometry of the game.
5. Breanna Stewart, PF, New York Liberty
2026 Stats: 20.4 PPG | 8.8 RPG | 2.8 APG | 1.5 SPG | 0.9 BPG

Even with her struggles from three-point range (17.5%), Breanna Stewart's absolute floor is higher than almost anyone else's ceiling. The two-time MVP continues to do everything else at an elite level, leading the 9-4 Liberty with 20.4 points and 8.8 boards a night while providing tremendous defensive range and lineup flexibility. New York hasn't been perfect out of the gates, but Stewart's steady, all-around brilliance keeps them locked firmly in the championship conversation.
4. Paige Bueckers, PG/SG, Dallas Wings
2026 Stats: 19.8 PPG | 3.6 RPG | 5.8 APG | 0.5 SPG | 0.3 BPG

The speed at which Bueckers has taken total ownership of this Dallas franchise is staggering. Building off last year's Rookie of the Year campaign, Bueckers is operating with the poise of a ten-year veteran, balancing high-level playmaking with a polished, hyper-efficient scoring touch (52.3/42.9/78.6 shooting splits). It's no coincidence that the Wings (8-4) are off to their best start since the franchise relocated to Dallas in 2016.
3. Olivia Miles, PG, Minnesota Lynx
2026 Stats: 17.8 PPG | 5.2 RPG | 6.3 APG | 1.4 SPG | 0.8 BPG

Calling Olivia Miles a "rookie" feels like a massive disservice to what she is actually accomplishing. The second overall pick hasn't just adapted to the pros; she has completely weaponized the WNBA's best team. Serving as the primary ball-handler, transition blur, and late-clock savior for a Lynx squad missing star forward Napheesa Collier, Miles has been nothing short of spectacular. Minnesota looks like an absolute juggernaut right now, and Miles is the undeniable catalyst.
2. Kelsey Plum, PG, Los Angeles Sparks
2026 Stats: 24.8 PPG | 2.2 RPG | 6.9 APG | 1.6 SPG | 0.0 BPG

If this list were purely based on offensive explosion, Kelsey Plum would have a very real argument for the crown. Tasked with carrying a massive burden for the Sparks, "Plum Dawg" is currently second in the league in scoring on absurdly efficient 55.8% shooting from the field and 40.7% from deep. Add in her elite playmaking, and you have a guard who is single-handedly keeping her team in games. Below-average defense and LA's uneven 6-6 record are the only roadblocks preventing Plum from seriously challenging for the number one overall spot.
1. A'ja Wilson, C, Las Vegas Aces
2026 Stats: 26.4 PPG | 9.3 RPG | 3.3 APG | 1.1 SPG | 2.3 BPG

Death, taxes, and A'ja Wilson dominating the WNBA. The four-time MVP remains the undisputed gold standard, sitting tops in both scoring and blocks while anchoring a 9-3 Aces squad. But the truly terrifying part for the rest of the league? Wilson has seemingly weaponized her three-point touch, shooting a blistering 55.2% from downtown on 2.4 attempts per contest. Taking an already unguardable interior force and giving her range has created a math problem that no defense in basketball can solve.
Introduction
We're a quarter of the way through the 2026 WNBA campaign, and the league's hierarchy has never been more exciting.

With early-season performances starting to shape the conversation, here is my take on the top 15 players right now.

Ranking The Top 15 WNBA Players Right Now: Clark Slides, Miles Surges

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