Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has had a solid grip on the WNBA's MVP award for much of the season, but we should have known this race wouldn't remain that simple.
After missing seven games with an ankle injury, Collier is still going strong, scoring 32 points in her return on Sunday. But A'ja Wilson has made a big push over the past month to win an unprecedented fourth MVP honor as the driving force behind the Las Vegas Aces' 11-game winning streak. Collier (23.9 points per game) and Wilson (23.2) are Nos. 1 and 2 in the league in scoring, with Wilson second in rebounding (10.2) and Collier 10th (7.6)… and still, the two are not alone at the top.
Alyssa Thomas, who recorded her sixth triple-double of the season and 17th of her career on Friday, is also an excellent candidate as the league's current assist leader (9.2) in her first season with the Phoenix Mercury.
We experienced this type of MVP scenario as recently as 2023, when Wilson, Thomas and Breanna Stewart finished a close 1-2-3. That year, Thomas — then with the Connecticut Sun — got the most first-place votes, but Stewart won with the most overall points.
With 17 days left in the regular season, Collier, Wilson and Thomas are essentially locks for the all-WNBA first team, and will continue to make their cases for MVP. It should get particularly interesting on Sept. 4, when Wilson and the Aces host Collier and the Lynx.
Previous ranking: 1
Next seven days: vs. SEA (Aug. 28), @ CON (Aug. 30), vs. DAL (Sept. 1)
The Lynx suffered their first back-to-back losses of the season last week, falling at New York and Atlanta. But they bounced back to beat Indiana on the road and at home, welcoming back Collier in the second game on Sunday. While it was a
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