Who Are The Best WNBA Players Right Now?

The 2024 WNBA schedule continues to roll along as the action begins to tip off to open July. As teams slowly approach the halfway point the hunt for the 2024 WNBA Playoffs is still wide open while the battle for some of the top WNBA Awards are also still up for battle. One player who continues to put together a strong 2024 WNBA season is the Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson who is looking to help lead her team to a WNBA three-peat this season. Wilson’s hot start to the season lands the former WNBA MVP atop the Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings list to open play in July.

Wilson, who is looking for her third WNBA MVP Award has been the best scorer in the WNBA all season while averaging a league high 26.9 points per game over her first 16 games of the season. In addition to her scoring the Aces star has been one of the top defensive players in the league posting nearly two steals (1.9) and two blocked shots per game (2.3).

Joining Wilson among the best players in the WNBA this season includes Arike Ogunbowale of the Dallas Wings, Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx, Breanna Stewart of the New York Liberty, and Jewell Loyd of the Seattle Storm.

Here is a look at the Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings:

Honorable Mention

Alyssa Thomas

Team: Connecticut Sun

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 5

Another talented WNBA star well deserving of a mention among the best players within the league is the Connecticut Sun All-Star Alyssa Thomas. As Thomas is often overlooked among the best players due to her lower scoring averages, the Sun star makes up for it with her all around talent along with her ability to stuff the stat sheet.

The former Maryland Terps star is currently averaging 9.4 rebounds per game to go along with 7.5 assists while averaging 12.1 points per game. The veteran forward currently ranks fifth in the WNBA in rebounding as well as first in assists per game this season.

Kelsey Plum

Team: Las Vegas Aces

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 10

Just missing the Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings list is the Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum. Plum who is one of three Aces to make the list of top players in the WNBA this season is a key piece to the team’s success all season as the team fights for a chance to win their third consecutive WNBA Championship.

Plum, who is in her seventh season within the WNBA, is posting her fourth straight season averaging at least 14 points per game. Overall Plum has posted 17.3 points per game while also adding 5.1 assists per game and two rebounds for an Aces team loaded with talented stars.

Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings

10. Sabrina Ionescu

Team: New York Liberty

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Honorable Mention

Sliding in at number 10 on the Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings list is one of the tops all around shooters within the league Sabrina Ionescu. Ionescu who is in her fifth season with the New York Liberty is currently shooting 35.5 percent from behind the three-point line while sitting as a 37.3 percent three-point shooter since arriving within the WNBA.

The strong three-point shot has the Liberty guard averaging a career high 18.8 points per game this season over her first 19 games of the season. To go along with those numbers the former Oregon Ducks guard currently ranks fourth in the WNBA in assists (6.5).

9. Jackie Young

Team: Las Vegas Aces

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Another talented guard who can do a little bit of everything is the Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young who joins A’ja Wilson among the list of the best 10 WNBA players and is off to another strong season.

Young, who was the former first overall pick during the 2019 WNBA Draft is off to the best season of her young career while sitting at just 26 years old. The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard is averaging a career high 18.9 points per game to go along with a career high in assists (5.4) and rebounds (4.7) per game this season.

Even more impressive has been her strong play over the past few weeks including posting four games with at least 22 points with two of those games going for 32 and 34 points, respectively.

8. Nneka Ogwumike

Team: Seattle Storm

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 6

Continuing to climb the all-time scoring leader rankings the former Los Angeles Sparks All-Star and current Seattle Storm forward has gotten off to another start to her career.

After spending her first 12 seasons with the Sparks, Ogwumike made the jump to the Storm for the 2024 WNBA season while looking to add another weapon to the roster in hopes of making a run to the WNBA Playoffs.

Over 16 games during the 2024 WNBA schedule the Storm forward is currently averaging 17.2 points per game to go along with 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and even more impressive 1.9 steals on the opposite end of the floor. To go along with those numbers the former Stanford Cardinal forward has posted four double doubles to start the season.

7. Kahleah Copper

Team: Phoenix Mercury

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 9

New team and new city have not slowed down the veteran guard Kahleah Copper who joined a talented veteran Phoenix Mercury team during the off-season. The move has paid off as the former Chicago Sky guard has been red hot to start the season while averaging a career high 21.8 points per game.

Copper enters July with 11 20 plus point performances including five games with at least 30 points scored. In addition to those numbers Copper has averaged 4.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 2.2 assists per game to start her career with the Mercury while helping the Mercury climb to sixth within the 2024 WNBA standings.

6. Dearica Hamby

Team: Los Angeles Sparks

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Entering season two with the Los Angeles Sparks, Dearica Hamby has elevated her game while ranking among the best scorers and rebounders within the league to start the season.

Hamby, who played her collegiate career with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons is averaging 18.4 points per game to go along with 10.3 rebounds. Through the end of June, Hamby joined four other talented WNBA stars as the only players within the league to average a double double to start the season.

To go along with that success, Hamby has elevated her all around shooting game including shooting 45 percent from behind the three-point line and 51.9 percent from the floor. Meanwhile the Sparks forward has posted 11 double doubles to start the season.

5. Jewell Lloyd

Team: Seattle Storm

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 3

 Rounding out the top five on the Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings list is the long-time Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd. Loyd, who was selected first overall during the 2015 WNBA Draft has been an anchor within the Storm roster every season since.

The 10-year WNBA veteran has been as consistent as any player in the WNBA during her tenure averaging at least 15 points per game in eight of first 10 WNBA seasons including averaging 20.7 points per game over her first 19 games this season.

Currently Loyd who sits fifth in the NBA in scoring (20.2) has her second straight 20 plus scoring season of her career. Filling out the rest of her stat sheet, Loyd has also added 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists as well as 1.5 steals on the defensive end of the floor.

4. Breanna Stewart

Team: New York Liberty

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 1

The reigning WNBA MVP is off to a slower start than last year but still ranks among the leaders in scoring (19.8) and rebounding (8.7). With the loaded roster and the added attention Stewart has drawn to start the season has lowered her scoring numbers, Stewart has still managed to average just below 20 points per game (19.8).

In addition, the former UConn Huskies star has also added a ton of value on the defensive end for the first place Liberty while posting 1.4 blocked shots and 2.2 steals per game. To go along with the numbers Stewarts leadership qualities have stood out all season while helping the Liberty to first place to start the season.

3. Arike Ogunbowale

Team: Dallas Wings

Position: Guard

Previous Ranking: 7

The Dallas Wings have a solid young roster that had visions of making a strong playoff push during the 2024 WNBA Season. Despite those visions the team has struggled at times to find consistency, however Arike Ogunbowale has been the one bright spot all season while averaging a career high 23.7 points per game over her first 18 games of the season.

The former Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard has also been extremely dominating on the defensive end of the floor while limiting the play of opposing guards while forcing 2.8 steals per game. The numbers do not stop for the Wings guard as Ogunbowale has also averaged 4.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game.

2. Napheesa Collier

Team: Minnesota Lynx

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 4

One WNBA All-Star making a push for the top overall spot among the top players in the WNBA this season is Napheesa Collier of the Minnesota Lynx. After leading the Lynx to the 2024 WNBA Commissioners Cup, Collier and her teammates set out for a chance to take home the 2024 WNBA Championship.

Like many of the other top stars of the WNBA, Collier ranks among the leaders in scoring, rebounding, steals, and blocks. The former UConn Huskies star who is posting her second straight 20 plus point average mark is scoring 20.9 points per game while also adding 10.4 rebounds to go alongside 2.3 steals, 1.4 blocked shots, and 3.7 assists.

Through 18 games, Collier is one of just four players in the WNBA to average a double double and joins only A’ja Wilson as players to average at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.

1. A’ja Wilson

Team: Las Vegas Aces

Position: Forward

Previous Ranking: 2

In at number one on the Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Rankings list is A’ja Wilson who looks to add another WNBA MVP Award to her career resume. As the Aces look to three peat Wilson continues to be one of the anchors within the lineup and a weapon that currently leads all WNBA scorers while averaging 26.9 points per game.

As the offensive game of Wilson ranks among the best, the Aces center also brings a strong all-around game including playing stellar defense on the defensive end of the floor. Entering the start of the WNBA schedule in July, Wilson leads all defenders in blocked shots (2.3) and sits tied for fifth in steals per game (1.9).

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