It was another historic year for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). With the addition of the Golden State Valkyries as a new team and surpassing league viewership records in 2024, the league broke down barriers yet again this year.
With the WNBA Playoffs in full swing, the finalists are being selected for all the major end-of-season awards. Part of what made this year so exciting was how many viable finalists there are for each award.
Below are the winners and finalists in all WNBA Award Categories for 2025.
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Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player (WNBA MVP)
Winner: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
The Aces got off to a slower than usual start in 2025 and hovered around the middle of the standings for about three quarters of the season. Then they ripped off 16 straight wins to close the season and earn the second seed in the playoffs.
At the heart of that run and that team was their now record-setting four-time MVP A’ja Wilson. That streak featured eight 30-point games and 10 double-doubles from Wilson. She earned her second straight scoring title and led the league in offensive and defensive win shares.
This is also the second time she has won the MVP and DPOY awards in the same season.
Other finalists included Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury).
For most of the season, the MVP felt like a wrap for Napheesa Collier. The Lynx were the best team in the league and she the main reason why. She averaged 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.9 steals on the year. She also became just the second player in league history with a 50-40-90 season.
Alyssa Thomas might have been the dark horse candidate, but her season was spectacular. Her first year in Phoenix, she led the league in assists and finished second in rebounds and steals. She instantly became the anchor on both ends of the floor for a team taking on the defending champion New York Liberty in the first round of the playoffs.
Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY)
Co-winners:
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Alanna Smith, Minnesota Lynx
Sparking some controversy, Wilson and Smith shared this year’s Defensive Player of the Year Award.
For A’ja Wilson, this marks her third DPOY award. She led the league in blocks per game and finished second in steals per game. She also led the league in defensive win shares.
Alanna Smith was the nucleus of a suffocating Lynx team defense. She finished third in blocks, tenth in steals and second in defensive win shares and defensive rating.
Other finalists included Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm), Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Alyssa Thomas (Phoenix Mercury).
Napheesa Collier, the reigning DPOY, finished top five in blocks, steals and defensive win shares and was once again one of the most versatile defenders in the league. Alyssa Thomas anchored the Mercury defense, and Gabby Williams led the league in steals.
Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year
Winner: Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Paige Bueckers put together one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history. She finished fifth in points per game and top 10 in assists and steals. She also tied the rookie record with 44 points against the Los Angeles Sparks in August.
Other candidates included Kiki Iriafen (Washington Mystics) and Sonia Citron (Washington Mystics).
If it weren’t for Bueckers putting together one of the all-time best rookie seasons, the two Mystics rookie All-Stars would have a case. Kiki Iriafen finished top five in offensive and defensive rebounds and Citron averaged 14.9 points per game.
Kia WNBA Sixth Player of the Year
Winner: Naz Hillmon, Atlanta Dream
Hillmon set career highs in points, assists, rebounds and minutes per game. She was indispensable for the Dream who finished 15 games better than a season ago and snagged the third playoff seed.
Other candidates included Natisha Hiedeman (Minnesota Lynx), Jessica Shepard (Minnesota Lynx) and DeWanna Bonner (Phoenix Mercury).
WNBA Most Improved Player
Winner: Veronica Burton, Golden State Valkyries
Veronica Burton led the expansion Golden State Valkyries to a playoff berth in their debut season, and she set career highs in points, assists, rebounds and steals along the way.
Other finalists included Azurá Stevens (Los Angeles Sparks) and Naz Hillmon (Atlanta Dream).
Stevens had a career year as well. A two-time finalist for the sixth player of the year, Stevens also finished among the top 15 in offensive win shares, a measure of how many wins a player contributed to via their offensive performance.
Hillmon herself finished top 20 in offensive and defensive win shares and set career highs across the board for the third seeded Atlanta Dream.
WNBA Coach of the Year
Winner: Natalie Nakase, Golden State Valkyries
It’s difficult to imagine a more daunting task than taking over an expansion team and leading them to the playoffs in year one — because no coach had ever done it. Enter Natalie Nakase and the Golden State Valkyries, who set the league record for most wins in a season by an expansion team.
Other finalists included Karl Smesko (Atlanta Dream), Cheryl Reeve (Minnesota Lynx) and Becky Hammon (Las Vegas Aces).
Reeve’s Minnesota Lynx led the league in offensive and defensive rating and they’re the number one seed in the playoffs. Smesko’s Atlanta Dream finished second in offensive and defensive rating and doubled their win total from a year ago.
Oh, and Becky Hammon led the Las Vegas Aces in a ridiculous late season surge that saw them win 16 straight games on route to the second seed in the playoffs.
WNBA All-Rookie Team (TBA Monday, Sept. 29)
Likely candidates:
- Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
- Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
- Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics
- Janelle Salaün, Golden State Valkyries
- Saniya Rivers, Connecticut Sun
WNBA All-Defensive First and Second Teams (TBA Wednesday, Oct. 1)
Likely candidates:
First Team
- Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm
- Alanna Smith, Minnesota Lynx
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
Second Team
- Brittney Sykes, Seattle Storm
- Leonie Fiebich, New York Liberty
- Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
- Ezi Magbegor, Seattle Storm
- Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
All-WNBA First and Second Teams (TBA Tuesday, Oct. 7)
Likely candidates:
First Team
- Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx
- A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
- Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury
- Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
- Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
Second Team
- Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty
- Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
- Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm
- Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
- Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks
Other WNBA Awards
Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike won her fourth Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.
WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year
Atlanta Dream general manager Dan Padover won his record third WNBA Executive of the Year Award for helping build a Dream team that finished 15 wins better than a year ago.
WNBA Business Executive Leadership Award presented by Deloitte (TBA Thursday, Oct. 2)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the WNBA MVP in 2024?
Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson won her third MVP award in 2024 after leading the league in points, rebounds, blocks and win shares.
Who was voted the Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2025?
A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Alanna Smith of the Minnesota Lynx were co-awarded the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2025.
Who won the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2025?
Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings was named the Rookie of the Year in 2025 after finishing the season fifth in points per game and top 10 in assists and steals. She also tied the rookie record with 44 points against the Los Angeles Sparks in August.
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