MVP and All-WNBA watch

[cupcakesnake]

With the WNBA season being relatively short, I figure it's not too early to check in on who's on track for a big year.
Figured this is worth a discussion both for W die-hards and people who might check this forum with an interest in who the top players are teams are.

My top 3 (in no order) after opening week:

A'ja Wilson - The reigning MVP and DPOY is picking up right where she left off for the defending champs with her usual 19 and 9 with 3.5 stocks. She hasn't been shooting 3s this year so far but hasn't needed to with all the perimeter firepower and Candace Parker having more stretch in the frontcourt than Dearica Hamby did last year. One early season trend to monitor: The Aces are killing people no matter what, but look even scarier when A'ja goes to the bench and Parker plays with the guards. Part of this is A'ja being more of an awkward fit next to another interior player (Kiah Stokes right now, but this has been a trend since Cambage). Parker's not the scoring threat A'ja is but the versatility and fit Parker brings is shining early. This is nitpicky though because the Aces are outscoring opponents by +27(per100) with A'ja on the court

Breanna Stewart - Probably the best player in the world and looking head and shoulders above everyone right now averaging 26 and 10 with 5 stocks (!!!) shooting 54/43/84. The Liberty are finding their footing fast after an embarrassing opening night. But whenever the offense looks uncertain, Stewie just takes over and gets anything she wants.

Satou Sabally - Surprise name right here but she's been bombing from 3 and attacking closeout for an efficient 22 and 9 on 49/42/96 splits. Her mobility and shooting is more than back after she sat out most of last year. The Wings are a surprise 3-1 and Sabally is part of a big 3 with Arike Agunbowale and Natasha Howard. It will be interesting to see how things go with 6'7" Teaira McCowan coming back from injury soon to stabilize a leaky defense.

The rest of my top 10:
Brittney Griner: Welcome back and thanks for all the blocks!
Elena Delle Donne: Business as usual being the whole offense for the Mystics.
Alyssa Thomas: Her crazy all-around game has the Sun off to a nice start.
Jackie Young: Has she missed a shot this year? (I'm higher on Chelsey Gray but shoutout Young for this crazy hot start).
Natasha Howard: Looking like her old DPOY self.
Nneka Ogwumike: Missed a few with injury but scoring at will when she's out there.
Sabrina Ionescu: Can't score inside the arc but is doing everything else.

[MrDollarBills]

With the WNBA season being relatively short, I figure it's not too early to check in on who's on track for a big year.
Figured this is worth a discussion both for W die-hards and people who might check this forum with an interest in who the top players are teams are.

My top 3 (in no order) after opening week:

A'ja Wilson - The reigning MVP and DPOY is picking up right where she left off for the defending champs with her usual 19 and 9 with 3.5 stocks. She hasn't been shooting 3s this year so far but hasn't needed to with all the perimeter firepower and Candace Parker having more stretch in the frontcourt than Dearica Hamby did last year. One early season trend to monitor: The Aces are killing people no matter what, but look even scarier when A'ja goes to the bench and Parker plays with the guards. Part of this is A'ja being more of an awkward fit next to another interior player (Kiah Stokes right now, but this has been a trend since Cambage). Parker's not the scoring threat A'ja is but the versatility and fit Parker brings is shining early. This is nitpicky though because the Aces are outscoring opponents by +27(per100) with A'ja on the court

Breanna Stewart - Probably the best player in the world and looking head and shoulders above everyone right now averaging 26 and 10 with 5 stocks (!!!) shooting 54/43/84. The Liberty are finding their footing fast after an embarrassing opening night. But whenever the offense looks uncertain, Stewie just takes over and gets anything she wants.

Satou Sabally - Surprise name right here but she's been bombing from 3 and attacking closeout for an efficient 22 and 9 on 49/42/96 splits. Her mobility and shooting is more than back after she sat out most of last year. The Wings are a surprise 3-1 and Sabally is part of a big 3 with Arike Agunbowale and Natasha Howard. It will be interesting to see how things go with 6'7" Teaira McCowan coming back from injury soon to stabilize a leaky defense.

Satou's jump has been crazy, i hope she sustains this.

I'm biased so I'd flip Stewie to #1 but everything you wrote is spot on. What a high powered start to the season

[MrDollarBills]

Well, at this point, A'ja is the clearcut #1. Wins matter a lot, and the Aces are rolling while the Liberty have dropped two games and the Wings have lost two straight. I had to switch my ranks up:

#1 A'Ja

#2 Stewie

#3 Young (she's posting a PER of 30 and shooting an ungodly 52% from downtown. The fact that she's on the floor at the same time with Plum and Gray is basically a cheat code)

#4 Satou

#5 Thomas

#6 Delle Donne

[zike_42]

It'll be disappointing to see Satou get bumped to the second team All-WNBA (if this production keeps going) because she's playing super well. I'm guessing Stewie and A'ja will be the first team forwards, and Griner is practically a lock for centre, which means Lloyd and maybe Jackie Young?

[MrDollarBills]

It'll be disappointing to see Satou get bumped to the second team All-WNBA (if this production keeps going) because she's playing super well. I'm guessing Stewie and A'ja will be the first team forwards, and Griner is practically a lock for centre, which means Lloyd and maybe Jackie Young?

Young is definitely a lock for first team if she keeps up this level of play

[cupcakesnake]

It'll be disappointing to see Satou get bumped to the second team All-WNBA (if this production keeps going) because she's playing super well. I'm guessing Stewie and A'ja will be the first team forwards, and Griner is practically a lock for centre, which means Lloyd and maybe Jackie Young?

We'll see if Satou can keep up this shooting before we petition the WNBA to get rid of positions, haha. It's just 6 games in and it's a big part of what she's doing.

Jackie Young isn't going to stay this hot from 3, so I'm not convinced at seasons end she'll definitely be the best guard on the Aces. Chelsey Gray is doing her thing, and Kelsey Plum will find her shot. Those guards in Atlanta could make some noise too.

[cupcakesnake]

While I don't think anyone is touching Stewie right now in terms of individual performance, and A'ja is the best player on by far the best team... Alyssa Thomas is having some season.

The combination of brute interior scoring threat, mixed with decisive playmaking, puts so much pressure on opponents defense. She's the connective tissue between their scorers (Bonner and Brionna Jones). That offense isn't even the best part of her game. The defense is dogged and relentless. I think she's the best defensive player in the league right now.

[DOT]

While I don't think anyone is touching Stewie right now in terms of individual performance, and A'ja is the best player on by far the best team... Alyssa Thomas is having some season.

The combination of brute interior scoring threat, mixed with decisive playmaking, puts so much pressure on opponents defense. She's the connective tissue between their scorers (Bonner and Brionna Jones). That offense isn't even the best part of her game. The defense is dogged and relentless. I think she's the best defensive player in the league right now.

4th career triple double today

Most all time in WNBA history.

[cupcakesnake]

With Satou's 2-point efficiency plummeting (still banging them 3s though!), I no longer have her quite at an MVP level. Right now my personal ranking would be:

1. Stewie
2. A'ja
3. Alyssa Thomas
4. Jackie Young (just keeps on never missing!)
5. Elena Delle Donne

Lots of people in the 4-5 tier though: Satou still, Naphissa Collier, Nneka Ogwumike

[Doctor MJ]

So as we near the end of April, it feels like we're coming down to 3 candidates:

A'ja Wilson
Breanna Stewart
Alyssa Thomas

I think Stewie vs Alyssa will work itself out pretty straight forwardly. A'ja is the question.

This is where things like MVP votes get weird: Had Breanna Stewart won the MVP last year - which I think she should have - I think A'ja would be running away with the MVP this year. Not saying it's a given that A'ja should get it over the other two, but after the championship last year and the more dominant Aces run this year, I think the coronation would be all but complete at this point.

With A'ja winning the award last year, we could end up in a "voter fatigue" situation.

For myself the tricky part of A'ja's candidacy is that I'm not really sure at this point if she's clearly the MVP of her own team. When forced to put one Ace forward, I'll point to A'ja like basically everyone else, but the Aces arguably have 4 of the top 6 players in the league right now.

[cupcakesnake]

A'ja had a stretch where her defense looked so good that I was leaning towards her for MVP, but the defense has not been the same the past couple weeks, and she's had some real stinkers on offense against the Liberty.

I think for a lot of media it's going to be an A'ja vs. Stewie thing, and I get it. They're the faces of the league and have the gaudy scoring numbers while starring on super teams.

But Alyssa Thomas to me has by far the best MVP case, and I wish there was a stronger narrative push for what she's doing in Connecticut. This team is really light on offensive firepower with Brionna Jones out for the season, but this team has just chugged along around AT. She leads the NBA in rebounding and assists (has this ever happened before?), she's the best defensive player in the W, and look at the terrifying on/off number. She's at +29.5 in on/off and the next closest starter (her wife) is at +11.8. This is as big as carry job as we ever see. While A'ja and Stewie are playing on super teams, AT has the Sun keeping pace without anywhere near the same talent.

As much as this season is focused on the clash of the titans (Liberty vs. Aces), the Sun are an incredibly fun, plucky underdog built around one of the best individual efforts this league has ever seen. Narrative bonus points for a team led by a married couple.

[ellobo]

A'ja had a stretch where her defense looked so good that I was leaning towards her for MVP, but the defense has not been the same the past couple weeks, and she's had some real stinkers on offense against the Liberty.

I think for a lot of media it's going to be an A'ja vs. Stewie thing, and I get it. They're the faces of the league and have the gaudy scoring numbers while starring on super teams.

But Alyssa Thomas to me has by far the best MVP case, and I wish there was a stronger narrative push for what she's doing in Connecticut. This team is really light on offensive firepower with Brionna Jones out for the season, but this team has just chugged along around AT. She leads the NBA in rebounding and assists (has this ever happened before?), she's the best defensive player in the W, and look at the terrifying on/off number. She's at +29.5 in on/off and the next closest starter (her wife) is at +11.8. This is as big as carry job as we ever see. While A'ja and Stewie are playing on super teams, AT has the Sun keeping pace without anywhere near the same talent.

As much as this season is focused on the clash of the titans (Liberty vs. Aces), the Sun are an incredibly fun, plucky underdog built around one of the best individual efforts this league has ever seen. Narrative bonus points for a team led by a married couple.

I don't really care about the award, but I agree that Alyssa Thomas has been "most valuable" in the sense of carrying a mediocre roster. She's become my favorite player to watch because of her total package of competitive intensity, defense, rebounding, playmaking and passing vision, and resourceful scoring without a real outside shot.

I feel a little bad comparing her to a male player, especially a disappointing one, but she strikes me as the platonic ideal of what Ben Simmons could or should have been.

[MrDollarBills]

A'ja had a stretch where her defense looked so good that I was leaning towards her for MVP, but the defense has not been the same the past couple weeks, and she's had some real stinkers on offense against the Liberty.

I think for a lot of media it's going to be an A'ja vs. Stewie thing, and I get it. They're the faces of the league and have the gaudy scoring numbers while starring on super teams.

But Alyssa Thomas to me has by far the best MVP case, and I wish there was a stronger narrative push for what she's doing in Connecticut. This team is really light on offensive firepower with Brionna Jones out for the season, but this team has just chugged along around AT. She leads the NBA in rebounding and assists (has this ever happened before?), she's the best defensive player in the W, and look at the terrifying on/off number. She's at +29.5 in on/off and the next closest starter (her wife) is at +11.8. This is as big as carry job as we ever see. While A'ja and Stewie are playing on super teams, AT has the Sun keeping pace without anywhere near the same talent.

As much as this season is focused on the clash of the titans (Liberty vs. Aces), the Sun are an incredibly fun, plucky underdog built around one of the best individual efforts this league has ever seen. Narrative bonus points for a team led by a married couple.

I don't really care about the award, but I agree that Alyssa Thomas has been "most valuable" in the sense of carrying a mediocre roster. She's become my favorite player to watch because of her total package of competitive intensity, defense, rebounding, playmaking and passing vision, and resourceful scoring without a real outside shot.

I feel a little bad comparing her to a male player, especially a disappointing one, but she strikes me as the platonic ideal of what Ben Simmons could or should have been.

I try not to compare the players to their male counterparts either, and I am guilty of this, but I had this same conversation with my friend who also loves the W:

Alyssa Thomas is what Ben Simmons WISHES he was, an elite big that can impose her will on the game without even scoring a point. I have no qualms about saying that.

It feels disrespectful to Alyssa to put the two of them in the same sentence honestly. In terms of on court impact its not even close.

[MrDollarBills]

A'ja had a stretch where her defense looked so good that I was leaning towards her for MVP, but the defense has not been the same the past couple weeks, and she's had some real stinkers on offense against the Liberty.

I think for a lot of media it's going to be an A'ja vs. Stewie thing, and I get it. They're the faces of the league and have the gaudy scoring numbers while starring on super teams.

But Alyssa Thomas to me has by far the best MVP case, and I wish there was a stronger narrative push for what she's doing in Connecticut. This team is really light on offensive firepower with Brionna Jones out for the season, but this team has just chugged along around AT. She leads the NBA in rebounding and assists (has this ever happened before?), she's the best defensive player in the W, and look at the terrifying on/off number. She's at +29.5 in on/off and the next closest starter (her wife) is at +11.8. This is as big as carry job as we ever see. While A'ja and Stewie are playing on super teams, AT has the Sun keeping pace without anywhere near the same talent.

As much as this season is focused on the clash of the titans (Liberty vs. Aces), the Sun are an incredibly fun, plucky underdog built around one of the best individual efforts this league has ever seen. Narrative bonus points for a team led by a married couple.

Is this the first time in pro sports history where we have a married couple on a team, but also leading them? Amazing to think about honestly.

I think that's one of the beautiful things about the W. No one has to hide who they are or who they love.

But yeah, A'ja imo has played herself out of the race with her performances versus NY. There's no shame in getting your ass kicked by Jonquel Jones, but for a player of her caliber I'm kind of shocked.

[cupcakesnake]

But yeah, A'ja imo has played herself out of the race with her performances versus NY. There's no shame in getting your ass kicked by Jonquel Jones, but for a player of her caliber I'm kind of shocked.

That's my instinct too but then you look at her body of work from the whole year. 21ppg on 60%ts, 9.6 boards, 2.1 blocks, on an all-time dominant team. She's #1 in blocks per game, #2 in rebounds, #3 in points, #1 in PER and Win Shares. She's very box score dominant on a win column dominant team.

I don't think we can point to a couple bad games and say she's played herself out of the race.

[MrDollarBills]

But yeah, A'ja imo has played herself out of the race with her performances versus NY. There's no shame in getting your ass kicked by Jonquel Jones, but for a player of her caliber I'm kind of shocked.

That's my instinct too but then you look at her body of work from the whole year. 21ppg on 60%ts, 9.6 boards, 2.1 blocks, on an all-time dominant team. She's #1 in blocks per game, #2 in rebounds, #3 in points, #1 in PER and Win Shares. She's very box score dominant on a win column dominant team.

I don't think we can point to a couple bad games and say she's played herself out of the race.

Nope you're right I jumped the gun. That's fair, and there's still plenty of season left.

[ellobo]

But yeah, A'ja imo has played herself out of the race with her performances versus NY. There's no shame in getting your ass kicked by Jonquel Jones, but for a player of her caliber I'm kind of shocked.

That's my instinct too but then you look at her body of work from the whole year. 21ppg on 60%ts, 9.6 boards, 2.1 blocks, on an all-time dominant team. She's #1 in blocks per game, #2 in rebounds, #3 in points, #1 in PER and Win Shares. She's very box score dominant on a win column dominant team.

I don't think we can point to a couple bad games and say she's played herself out of the race.

Nope you're right I jumped the gun. That's fair, and there's still plenty of season left.

A'ja making her case

Watch on YouTube

But AT is still my favorite to watch.

[Doctor MJ]

So, this MVP is a challenge because I think Breanna Stewart remains the best player in the league, and the Liberty winning 2 of 4 games over the Aces makes it hard to see her team's season as any real disappointment...and yet the narrative for her is more complicated than an MVP's typically is due to her joining a super-team, and still not being the best team.

Alyssa Thomas feels like the one with the narrative, and her On/Off numbers absolutely scream "Valuable"...but I kinda think that if you got rid of her and put Stewie on the team, they'd be better.

With A'ja, I have a block in my head with her because she won last year when I really, really thought it should have been Stewie. The idea of her getting the MVP both years over a superior player in Stewie just doesn't sit right with me. Had the Aces remained as dominant all year as they started I could see going with her, but as is, I think she'll be stuck in 2nd or 3rd for me.

[Doctor MJ]

A'ja had a stretch where her defense looked so good that I was leaning towards her for MVP, but the defense has not been the same the past couple weeks, and she's had some real stinkers on offense against the Liberty.

I think for a lot of media it's going to be an A'ja vs. Stewie thing, and I get it. They're the faces of the league and have the gaudy scoring numbers while starring on super teams.

But Alyssa Thomas to me has by far the best MVP case, and I wish there was a stronger narrative push for what she's doing in Connecticut. This team is really light on offensive firepower with Brionna Jones out for the season, but this team has just chugged along around AT. She leads the NBA in rebounding and assists (has this ever happened before?), she's the best defensive player in the W, and look at the terrifying on/off number. She's at +29.5 in on/off and the next closest starter (her wife) is at +11.8. This is as big as carry job as we ever see. While A'ja and Stewie are playing on super teams, AT has the Sun keeping pace without anywhere near the same talent.

As much as this season is focused on the clash of the titans (Liberty vs. Aces), the Sun are an incredibly fun, plucky underdog built around one of the best individual efforts this league has ever seen. Narrative bonus points for a team led by a married couple.

Is this the first time in pro sports history where we have a married couple on a team, but also leading them? Amazing to think about honestly.

I think that's one of the beautiful things about the W. No one has to hide who they are or who they love.

So Taurasi & Taylor weren't married at the time, but they did lead the Mercury together.
Vandersloot & Quigley did get married while playing together and I think they count.

It is something that I've only ever seen in the W though, and I think that's really something. I'm generally positive about it, but as with all office romances, if it goes bad, it would be really bad.

Still, I wish that NBA players were only held back by that instead of the massive cultural shame attached to atypical male sexuality.

[MrDollarBills]

That's my instinct too but then you look at her body of work from the whole year. 21ppg on 60%ts, 9.6 boards, 2.1 blocks, on an all-time dominant team. She's #1 in blocks per game, #2 in rebounds, #3 in points, #1 in PER and Win Shares. She's very box score dominant on a win column dominant team.

I don't think we can point to a couple bad games and say she's played herself out of the race.

Nope you're right I jumped the gun. That's fair, and there's still plenty of season left.

A'ja making her case

Watch on YouTube

But AT is still my favorite to watch.

She heard me talking sh*t yall