WNBA News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm has turned the 2018 WNBA season into the Year of Stewie. Joshua Huston/NBAE via Getty Images

Top 10 players WNBA power rankings

By Lindsay Gibbs | Last updated 6/27/18

We're a third of the way through the 2018 WNBA season, and the talent throughout the league is as strong as it's ever been. Legends such as Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird are still making waves, young superstars such as Breanna Stewart, Elena Delle Donne and Liz Cambage are all raising their level, while this year's rookie class is making its case as the best one ever. Here's a look at the top 10 players so far this season:

1. Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (F)

Friends, 2018 is turning into the Year of Stewie. In her junior year in the league, Stewart is averaging 22.3 points per game, almost two points more than the second leading scorer, and shooting 53.8 percent from the field. According to Basketball Reference, she leads the league in win shares with 3.3 and player efficiency ratings at 29.4. Her maturity is a huge reason why the Storm have morphed into true title contenders this season.

2. Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury (G)

Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury tied her own record on 3-pointers on June 26, 2018. Jordan Johnson /NBAE via Getty Images

If you thought that new mom Diana Taurasi was past her prime just because she's 36 years old and playing in her 14th WNBA season, well, think again. Taurasi is averaging 20.6 points per game and can still absolutely take over a game from beyond the arc — on Tuesday night against the New York Liberty, she tied her own WNBA record with seven 3-pointers in a row. Plus, she's shooting a league-best 95.2 percent from the free-throw line and averaging five assists per game.

3. Liz Cambage, Dallas Wings (C)

Liz Cambage of the Dallas Wings currently leads in the WNBA in defensive rebounds. Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images

Goodness is it fun to have Liz Cambage back in the WNBA. The Australian is averaging 20.4 points per game, the third-best tally in the league. She also leads the league in defensive rebounds with 8.4 per game and is second in the league in blocks and overall rebounds. Her athleticism, control and movement make her much more versatile than her size suggests. It's a marquee time for WNBA bigs, but right now, Cambage is the cream of the crop.

4. Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx (C)

Sylvia Fowles of the Minnesota Lynx is building on her MVP season in 2018. David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images

Sylvia Fowles had a slow start to the season, but goodness is the 2017 MVP making up for lost time. She leads the league in rebounds with 12.3 per game and is also averaging 18.2 points per game. Most impressively? She's crushing the rest of the league when it comes to field-goal percentage, making a staggering 61.6 percent of her shots. If advanced statistics are your thing, she leads the league in effective field goal percentage, total rebound percentage, steal percentage and defensive win shares.

5. Skylar Diggins-Smith, Dallas Wings (G)

Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Dallas Wings is part of a one-two punch for the young club. Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images

The Wings point guard has absolutely flourished this season. She is in the top 10 in the league in points with 19.2 per game, in the top three in assists with 6.4 per game and actually leads the league in assist percentage at 33.9 percent. She and Cambage have quickly transformed into one of the most dynamic duos in the league and have the young Wings in early position to compete for a bye in the playoffs.

6. Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury (C)

Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner currently leads the league in blocks. Quinn Harris/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Griner was in the midst of an MVP season last year before she was derailed by an injury, and while she hasn't quite played up to that level so far in 2018, she's still a force to be reckoned with. She's in the top 10 in the league in points scored, rebounds, free throws and field-goal percentage. Plus, she leads the league in blocks with a staggering 3.1 per game. When the Mercury's offense runs through Griner, it's unstoppable.

7. Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx (F)

Maya Moore still knows how to turn it on for the Lynx when the team needs the extra push. Sam Wasson/Getty Images

Efficiency-wise, it's a down shooting year for two-time WNBA MVP Maya Moore; she's merely 10th in the league in field-goal percentage and fifth in points with 19.8 per game. Her accuracy can certainly improve — she's only shooting 42.9 percent, the second-lowest rate of her career — but Moore's best asset is that she knows how to turn it on when her back is against the wall. During the Lynx's recent five-game winning streak, she's averaged 23.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and four assists per game — including a 32-point performance against the Seattle Storm.

8. Elena Delle Donne, Washington Mystics (F)

Washington Mystics forward Elena Delle Donne makes a statement during a WNBA game between the Washington Mystics and the Connecticut Sun, on June 26, 2018, at Capital One Arena, in Washington D.C. The Mystics defeated the Sun 92-80 by Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Elena Delle Donne dealt with a flare-up of Lyme disease earlier this season, which kept her on the sidelines for a few games. But she's back and already playing some of the best basketball of her career, averaging 19.7 point, 6.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.4 blocks per game. She has the highest offensive rating in the league (125.2).

9. Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta Dream (F/G)

Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream has not missed a step since returning to the WNBA this season. Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images

Angel McCoughtry took the 2017 WNBA season off, but it turns out, she didn't miss a step. Offensively, she's been a bit inconsistent but is still averaging 17.6 points per game, which is currently 12th in the league. But her biggest impact has come defensively — McCoughtry leads the league with a 94.1 defensive rating.

10. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces (C)

A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces posts up against Maya Moore of the Minnesota Lynx during their game at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 24, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sam Wasson/Getty Images

This rookie class is excellent from top to bottom, as even second rounders are making a huge impact already. But A'ja Wilson isn't just great for a rookie; she's just plain great. The Aces center is averaging 20.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. If she can get her turnover percentage down, she'll shoot up this power rankings quickly.

Honorable mentions: Candace Parker , Tina Charles, Jewell Loyd, Nneka Ogwumike, Chiney Ogwumike

More must-reads: