Ranking the 50 best players in the WNBA

With teams nearing the halfway point of the WNBA season, it's time again to rank the top 50 players in the league. Rookies weren't eligible for our preseason ranking in May, but five rookies make the list now, and Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles ranks in the top 10. Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson, who is hoping to earn her fifth MVP award, continues to top the list. Injured players who have not yet made their 2026 debut, such as Minnesota forward Napheesa Collier, are not eligible. But players such as Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum -- who have had standout seasons and appeared in at least half of their team's games but are currently sidelined -- are included. ESPN will continue to update the top 50 throughout the season. For now, here are our July rankings as determined by Kendra Andrews, Kareem Copeland and Michael Voepel. (All stats through Wednesday.) Illustration by ESPN1. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas AcesCenter | 6-foot-4 Preseason rank: 1 2026 stats: 25.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.0 BPG If Wilson's scoring average were to stay at least at 25.0 this season, it would be the second highest of her career (her best was 26.9 in 2024). Her single-game scoring high this year is 45 points. She has scored at least 20 in 14 of her 19 games, with a low of 16. That tells you how consistent her production has been. Wilson missed the Commissioner's Cup final Tuesday because of a leg injury but is not expected to be out long. Durability is another attribute of the four-time MVP. -- Michael Voepel Guard | 5-foot-8 Preseason rank: 9 2026 stats: 23.9 PPG, 6.4 APG, 52.7% FG Plum's season has been spectacular. If her current scoring and assist averages and field goal percentage remain where they are, they all would be career highs. She has hit four or more 3-pointers in five games. And she reached her career scoring high -- 43 points -- on 53.8% shooting vs. Phoenix on June 13. Health has been the only problem; Plum has played in only 12 of the Sparks' 18 games because of injuries. She might be out most of July. Still, her play thus far earned her a high spot in these rankings. -- Voepel Guard | 6-foot Preseason rank: 10 2026 stats: 21.2 PPG, 8.2 APG, 4.0 RPG Any worries that Clark wouldn't return to form after an injury-laden 2025 were quickly put to rest. The two-time All-Star is averaging career highs in points and shooting percentage, and her 3-point percentage is back up to 34.4%. She's No. 3 in the league in points per game, No. 2 in assists and No. 2 in usage. Clark just ended a stretch of six straight games of 20-plus points and five-plus assists -- the longest streak in WNBA history. Between the vision and scoring prowess, she might be the best playmaker in the league. -- Kareem Copeland Guard | 6-foot Preseason rank: 8 2026 stats: 19.9 PPG, 5.9 APG, 51.3% FG The reigning Rookie of the Year prioritized building full-body strength over the offseason, allowing her to better withstand physicality at the pro level. The results: Bueckers is one of three players in the league, alongside Plum and Clark, averaging at least 19 points and five assists, all while boosting her trademark efficiency from her rookie campaign (51.3% from the field and 39.3% from 3). -- Alexa Philippou Forward | 6-foot-4 Preseason rank: 4 2026 stats: 19.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG In her 10th season in the WNBA, Stewart is still finding ways to be remarkably impactful. For a third consecutive season she's hitting under 30% from beyond the arc, with the percentage decreasing each year -- but fixating on that part of her game doesn't do justice to all the things she still does at an elite level. She leads New York in scoring, is second in rebounding, and ranks first in steals (1.4 per game) and blocks -- not to mention her leadership for a team looking to find its form after an up-and-down season to this point. -- Philippou Guard | 5-foot-10 Preseason rank: Not ranked (rookies were not eligible) 2026 stats: 18.7 PPG, 5.7 APG, 4.8 RPG The No. 2 pick is not only the front-runner for Rookie of the Year but is also in contention for the MVP award. She has led the Lynx to the top of the standings without Napheesa Collier having played a game as she rehabs from surgery. Miles ranks No. 6 in assists and No. 12 in points per game, and is the fastest player in league history to reach 300-plus points and 100-plus assists. A starter from day one, she is already considered one of the top point guards in the game. -- Copeland Guard | 6-foot Preseason rank: 7 2026 stats: 18.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.1 APG Gray is averaging a career high in scoring on a 44.0% shooting clip while taking nearly one more shot per game than she did a year ago -- and the most she has in her career (14 attempts per game). It's a continuation of her coach, Karl Smesko, encouraging her to let the ball fly and be aggressive in seeking her shot. Gray's ability to play with speed, shoot at a high volume and play on and off the ball make her one of the top offensive players in the league. -

Ranking the 50 best players in the WNBA

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