Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson and 8 Other All-WNBA Team Picks

There are a few no-brainer picks when it comes to the All-WNBA team, an honor given to the league’s 10 best players and voted on by members of the media. A’ja Wilson, who is having the best season of her career, is one. Napheesa Collier is another. Caitlin Clark, the rookie phenom, has inserted herself into the conversation after an incredible second half of the season. The second team was a little tougher to decide on — so many great players, so many putting up big numbers — with just five spots.

These are the people I selected:

All-WNBA First Team

1. A’ja WilsonLas Vegas Aces
2. Napheesa necklaceMinnesota lynx
3. Caitlin ClarkIndiana fever
4. Breanna Stewartt, New York Freedom
5. Alyssa ThomasConnecticut Sun

The first team was relatively simple, consisting of the best players from five of the top six teams in the league (sorry, Seattle Storm).

A’ja Wilson is the favorite for the MVP award and Napheesa Collier is having an MVP-caliber season no matter how you look at it. Breanna Stewart has been more than solid and is the best player on the best team in the league, while Alyssa Thomas has led the Connecticut Sun and has been even more efficient this year than she was last. Wilson, Collier, Stewart and Thomas all return to the All-WNBA First Team for the second straight year.

Caitlin Clark is a new addition, but her play after the Olympic break makes it hard to leave her off the list. She’s the Indiana Fever’s most impactful player and has distributed the ball at a level we’ve never seen before in the WNBA.

All-WNBA Second Team

1. Kahleah CopperPhoenix Mercury
2. Kelsey MitchellIndiana fever
3. Nneka OgwumikeStorm in Seattle
4. Sabrina IonescuNew York Freedom
5. Jonquel JonesNew York Freedom

It got tough when it came to the All-WNBA Second Team. There are a lot of players who are having great individual seasons, so I also took into account the team’s success.

Kahleah Copper earns the honor of being regarded as the league’s third-leading scorer and the Mercury’s most consistent player this season.

Kelsey Mitchell is the league’s 7th leading scorer and is the second leading scorer since the Olympic break. She is also the Fever’s second most impactful player, averaging 24.8 points on 50.2% shooting since the break.

Nneka Ogwumike has been the Storm’s most reliable player, and as a #5 seed, it’s only fair that Seattle is represented on the All-WNBA Team. Averaging 16.7 points per game, she’s also been very efficient, shooting 50.9% from the field and 39.4% from three.

Sabrina Ionescu was likely the toughest decision to make, naming her over Kayla McBride to the All-WNBA team: Ionescu is shooting just 39.8 percent this season and the Liberty have two other players who have had better years overall. Still, her improvements as a playmaker and defensively warrant her inclusion on the All-WNBA team.

Jonquel Jones has been crucial to Liberty’s defense, and she’s also been efficient on offense, averaging 14.4 points on 53.8% shooting. Stewart wouldn’t be able to do what she does on defense if Jones didn’t protect the rim the way she does.

Honorable Mentions

1. Kayla McBrideMinnesota lynx
2. Darling HambyLos Angeles Sparks
3. Skylar Diggins-SmithStorm in Seattle
4. Kelsey PlumLas Vegas Aces
5. Brittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury
6. Brionna JonesConnecticut Sun

Dearica Hamby had a great individual season, but not great enough to be named to the All-WNBA Team as her Sparks finished with the league’s worst record.

Skylar Diggins-Smith has the fourth-most assists per game (6.4) and is also a Top 20 scorer, and a case can be made as the Storm’s most impactful player since the Olympics. But it’s not enough to overcome her slow start to the year and earn her All-WNBA honors.

Brittney Griner is scoring 18 points per game and could be in contention for All-WNBA honors, but the Mercury’s drop to seventh place doesn’t help her case.

For the Aces, Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young are both worthy of consideration, but neither has been consistent enough to dislodge either of the other players from the Second Team All-WNBA.

The Lynx have been the best team in the league since the break, finishing the year ranked #2 overall, and McBride is the team’s second-best player. If she hadn’t experienced a statistical decline in the second half of the season, she would have been a strong contender.

If the Sun had a second All-WNBA player, it would be Brionna Jones. She’s influential on both ends of the court and has been particularly dominant of late.

Arike Ogunbowale is the league’s second-leading scorer this season, but the Dallas Wings missed the playoffs and shot just 38.3% from the field. Jewell Loyd was also too inefficient (averaging 19.7 points on 36% shooting). Chennedy Carter was very efficient (17.5 points, 48.7% shooting) and would likely qualify for this list if the Sky had a better overall season.