The WNBA is the premier women’s basketball league, and some of the world’s best players are among the ranks of its teams. But who are the best up-and-coming players from the WNBA? Let’s look at ten of the most promising young athletes in the league.
Brittney Griner
In a bizarre turn, Brittney Griner returned to the WNBA after a ten-month detainment in Russia in 2022. She played great then and she’s continued to excel this season, too. Still, Phoenix missing the playoffs in 2023 for the first time since 2012 was certainly rough for Griner, who now seeks to shake off her weird absence from the league and prove what she’s made of.
Jackie Young
Jackie Young went from being unreliable at throwing three-pointers in 2021 to sinking 139 from 2022 to 2023. That’s the kind of improvement you almost never see from athletes once they’ve solidified their playing style, and it speaks to the kind of talent that’s stacked on the Las Vegas Aces roster this season.
Kelsey Plum
Is it fair to list two Aces guards back-to-back on this list? Well, if it’s fair for Vegas to have so much stacked talent this season, then, yes. Kelsey Plum brings accurate scoring and impressive speed to bear on the court and scored 20 or more points in each of the htree games of the WNBA Finals in 2023.
Jonquel Jones
Jonquel Jones had to spin back up in the back half of the 2023 season due to a foot injury that took her out of the first few contests. She’s an absurdly consistent player both defensively and offensively, offering a dynamic series of options for the New York Liberty and commanding respect on the court.
Napheesa Collier
The Minnesota Lynx forward, Napheesa Collier, returned to the league in 2023 after having her first child. She also happened to play the best basketball she’s ever played and hasn’t slowed down since. In fact, she was fourth in line for the MVP award, showcasing just how talented she is. This season, she’s making another case for herself as the MVP.
Chelsea Gray
The powerful young players on the Aces’ roster keep coming. Chelsea Gray is fast, efficient, and reliable in ways that some coaches only wish their players could be. Alongside other superstars like A’ja Wilson and Jackie Young, Gray is a force to be reckoned with.
Alyssa Thomas
Alyssa Thomas only just missed out on an MVP award in 2023, losing to Breanna Stewart (more on her later). Her talents as the Sun’s forward is unmistakable, though, with 28 double-doubles and six triple-doubles in the regular season, the best in the entire WNBA.
Breanna Stewart
New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart won the league MVP award in 2023 due to an impressive 23 points per game average. What’s even more impressive is that her 18.4 PPG in the playoffs last season was actually lower than any of her six prior appearances in the postseason!
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Caitlin Clark
The number one pick of the 2024 draft, Caitlin Clark, merits mentioning here due to the hype around her potential. The Indiana Fever picked up Clark due to her talents in the guard role, and she’s rewarded them by becoming the first player in the league’s history to average 18 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds per game.
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A’ja Wilson
The Vegas Aces’ forward, A’ja Wilson, is an impressive player even before you talk about her 2022 MVP award. Funny enough, while she didn’t win an MVP award in 2023, she actually had better stats that year than in 2022. She’s aiming to continue excelling and has no shortage of opportunities to excel with the mighty Vegas team going forward.
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