WNBA · 11 hours ago

Ranking the Top 7 WNBA Players in the 2026 Playoffs

Paul Connor

Host · Writer

7. Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
Angel Reese WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’4”
- Age: 24
- Position: Forward
- Team: Atlanta Dream
- Jersey Number: 5
- Playoff Status: Advanced to semifinals
Reese has turned the art of rebounding into a weekly record-breaking spectacle. The "ATL Barbie" enters the break with a WNBA-record 29 double-doubles on the year, including seven straight. But her crowning achievement came on August 24, when she claimed both the single-game (26) and single-season rebounding records on the same night.

Reese's averages sit at 16.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals, and she has grabbed double-digit boards in 14 consecutive games, including 14.6 per game across her last ten. Finishing efficiency and turnovers are what hold her outside the top 12; the rebounding, though, has become historically valuable for Atlanta.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 17.0 PPG
- Rebounds: 8.3 RPG
- Assists: 1.8 APG
- Steals: 1.8 SPG
- Blocks: 2.3 BPG
Stats as of October 8
Introduction
Every WNBA team having played 44 of 44 regular-season games and all eight playoff spots secured.

It's an ideal time to evaluate the league's top players.

This is a power ranking, not an MVP ballot or career-achievement list. Full-season performance establishes the baseline, but recent form, efficiency, two-way responsibility, availability and team context are the ultimate separators.

Before beginning the countdown, Jessica Shepard, Nneka Ogwumike, Natasha Howard and Sonia Citron deserve mention as the most difficult omissions. Kelsey Plum is an availability exclusion rather than a performance exclusion.

Let's get to the rankings!
1. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
A'ja Wilson WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’4”
- Age: 29
- Position: Center
- Team: Las Vegas Aces
- Jersey Number: 22
- Playoff Status: tied 1-1 with Fever
Wilson stays exactly where she has been all year -- No. 1, and without much argument.

The four-time MVP leads the league in scoring at 26.0 points while adding 9.4 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.4 steals on 52.3/39.8/85.9 shooting. Wilson's plus-7.7 VPM paces the league by a comfortable margin, and Las Vegas has been dramatically better with her on the court, posting a +11.1 net rating compared with -16.6 when she sits.

The one cloud is Wilson's World Cup withdrawal, although no specific injury was disclosed. Even so, her fusion of scoring, efficiency, rim protection and defensive range continues to define the top of the sport.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 28.8 PPG
- Rebounds: 9.2 RPG
- Assists: 1.4 APG
- Steals: 1.4 SPG
- Blocks: 1.4 BPG
Stats as of October 8
2. Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Jackie Young WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’0”
- Age: 28
- Position: Guard
- Team: Las Vegas Aces
- Jersey Number: 0
- Playoff Status: tied 1-1 with Fever
Young has caught fire at the perfect time, averaging 23.0 points, 6.5 assists and 4.4 rebounds over her last ten games. The full-season efficiency is just as striking -- 48.3% from the field, 38.7% from deep and 93.0% at the line against a mere 2.4 turnovers a night. That mix of scoring, positional flexibility and expanded playmaking has pushed Las Vegas to 27–13, and few guards in the league pair Young's efficiency with her defensive reliability.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 19.0 PPG
- Rebounds: 3.6 RPG
- Assists: 7.0 APG
- Steals: 2.0 SPG
- Blocks: 0.0 BPG
Stats as of October 8
3. Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Breanna Stewart WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’4”
- Age: 32
- Position: Forward
- Team: New York Liberty
- Jersey Number: 30
- Playoff Status: Advanced to semifinals
Stewart's jumper has wavered -- 18.0 points across her last ten games, only 25% from three on the season -- yet the total package remains elite. The two-time MVP is still averaging 20.4 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals, anchoring New York with defensive versatility no one else on the roster can match. Adjusted plus-minus, in fact, ranks her first in the entire league. Stewart's inconsistent shooting is all that keeps her from a higher ranking as she heads for Berlin with Team USA.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 27.3 PPG
- Rebounds: 7.5 RPG
- Assists: 4.8 APG
- Steals: 2.0 SPG
- Blocks: 2.3 BPG
Stats as of October 8
4. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Rhyne Howard WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’2”
- Age: 26
- Position: Guard
- Team: Atlanta Dream
- Jersey Number: 10
- Playoff Status: Advanced to semifinals
Nobody has been more disruptive at both ends. Howard has poured in 21.6 points per night over her last ten games as Atlanta has won four of five, and her 128 made threes have matched the WNBA's single-season record. She also leads the league in steals at 2.3 per game, proof that the impact runs in both directions. High-volume shooting, low turnovers and relentless perimeter defense make for a rare package, one Howard will carry to Team USA in Berlin.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 18.8 PPG
- Rebounds: 4.8 RPG
- Assists: 4.3APG
- Steals: 2.5 SPG
- Blocks: 0.5 BPG
Stats as of October 8
5. Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries
Veronica Burton WNBA Profile
- Height: 5’9”
- Age: 26
- Position: Guard
- Team: Golden State Valkyries
- Jersey Number: 22
- Playoff Status: tied 1-1 with Wings
Burton's scoring average (12.3 PPG) understates her almost completely. On a 29–11 Golden State team, she orchestrates nearly everything, with 5.8 assists and 1.5 steals against just 1.4 turnovers, a ratio she pushed to its extreme with a 13-assist, zero-turnover night against New York on August 27. The advanced numbers back up the eye test, as Burton ranks second league-wide in both win shares and VPM, reflecting her defense, ball security, and command of the offense. For a contender built on precision, Burton is the metronome.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 9.8 PPG
- Rebounds: 3.6 RPG
- Assists: 4.0 APG
- Steals: 1.0 SPG
- Blocks: 0.4 BPG
Stats as of October 8
6. Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Allisha Gray WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’0”
- Age: 31
- Position: Guard
- Team: Atlanta Dream
- Jersey Number: 15
- Playoff Status: Advanced to semifinals
Steady and efficient all year, Gray has been the reliable linchpin of Atlanta's 26–14 campaign. Her 19.3 points per game have ticked up to 20.7 over the last ten, a stretch capped by a 23-point, 11-rebound showing in the Dream's upset of the league-best Minnesota Lynx. What sets her apart is dependability, as Gray's scoring holds up in exactly the kind of grinding half-court possessions that decide playoff games.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 17.0 PPG
- Rebounds: 1.7 RPG
- Assists: 1.0 APG
- Steals: 2.0 SPG
- Blocks: 0.3 BPG
Stats as of October 8
7. Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
Angel Reese WNBA Profile
- Height: 6’4”
- Age: 24
- Position: Forward
- Team: Atlanta Dream
- Jersey Number: 5
- Playoff Status: Advanced to semifinals
Reese has turned the art of rebounding into a weekly record-breaking spectacle. The "ATL Barbie" enters the break with a WNBA-record 29 double-doubles on the year, including seven straight. But her crowning achievement came on August 24, when she claimed both the single-game (26) and single-season rebounding records on the same night.

Reese's averages sit at 16.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals, and she has grabbed double-digit boards in 14 consecutive games, including 14.6 per game across her last ten. Finishing efficiency and turnovers are what hold her outside the top 12; the rebounding, though, has become historically valuable for Atlanta.

2026 Postseason Stats
- Points: 17.0 PPG
- Rebounds: 8.3 RPG
- Assists: 1.8 APG
- Steals: 1.8 SPG
- Blocks: 2.3 BPG
Stats as of October 8
Introduction
Every WNBA team having played 44 of 44 regular-season games and all eight playoff spots secured.

It's an ideal time to evaluate the league's top players.

This is a power ranking, not an MVP ballot or career-achievement list. Full-season performance establishes the baseline, but recent form, efficiency, two-way responsibility, availability and team context are the ultimate separators.

Before beginning the countdown, Jessica Shepard, Nneka Ogwumike, Natasha Howard and Sonia Citron deserve mention as the most difficult omissions. Kelsey Plum is an availability exclusion rather than a performance exclusion.

Let's get to the rankings!

Ranking the Top 7 WNBA Players in the 2026 Playoffs

Angel Reese WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

A'ja Wilson WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

Jackie Young WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

Breanna Stewart WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

Rhyne Howard WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

Veronica Burton WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

Allisha Gray WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

Angel Reese WNBA Profile

2026 Postseason Stats

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