WNBA Mid-season Awards: A'ja Wilson's MVP campaign is totally cooking the competition

Welcome to For The Win’s 2024 WNBA mid-season awards.

What a tremendous season it’s been for the WNBA. Fans have been absolutely spoiled by some tremendous basketball from Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and the 2024 rookie class.

But the veterans are still hanging around and players like A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier continue to demonstrate why they are some of the best in the world.

Fantastic athletes deserve recognition, and we cannot go into the forthcoming Olympic break without mentioning players who are truly in a league of their own.

Let’s dive into For The Win’s six WNBA mid-season awards:

All odds via BetMGM

Most Valuable Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

The MVP Candidate pool is A’ja Wilson, a HUGE drop-off, and then everybody else.

This is no disrespect to Napheesa Collier, who is having a mind-bogglingly good season, but A’ja Wilson still has THAT one fourth-place vote on her mind, and I feel sorry for whatever poor souls are on the other end of her current MVP campaign.

Wilson is currently averaging a (WNBA-best) 27 points and 11 rebounds per game game on 52.6% shooting. She is also among the top five in rebounds, steals and blocks. EXCUSE ME, A’JA WILSON?!

A’ja won the WNBA MVP award in 2020 and 2022, and I fear the competition is COOKED for 2024. Go ahead and pack it up.

Defensive Player of the Year: Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

The Defensive Player of the Year is another category in which A’ja Wilson makes such a solid case that it was hard not to put her in this spot. But there’s something different about the product Napheesa Collier is putting on the floor.

Her defensive effort cannot be denied, and Minnesota’s defense is better for it. The Lynx not only lead the league in defensive rating, but Phee is also in the top seven or better in defensive rebounds, steals and blocks. She is also the best player in the WNBA when factoring in defensive win share percentage and defensive rating.

Simply put, Collier is the engine behind Minnesota’s defensive identity.  

Rookie of the Year: Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese

Before either fanbase starts raging at the thought of both Caitlin Clark AND Angel Reese sharing Rooke of the Year (for now), hear me out.

Caitlin Clark was off to a rousing start, winning Rookie of the Month in May and breaking records. Then, Angel Reese came storming back with Rookie of the Month in June and breaking records. Reese’s ridiculous consecutive double-double streak was starting to help her pull away from Caitlin in the ROY race until Clark dropped the only rookie triple-double in WNBA history, and we’re right back where we started. WHEW.

They’re both BALLING at their respective positions.

To be fair, this was always going to be the case for Caitlin Clark. She’s a generational talent who took a moment to adjust to the WNBA but seems to have settled down. That’s typically what most people, fans included, expected of her. Record-breaking? YEP. Logo 3-point shots? YEP. Filthy assists? YEP. ALL OF THAT.

But for Reese, not many expected that she would find success in the WNBA. There were a lot of question marks related to how her game would translate and if she could make an impact against most elite professional talent. She’s more than answered the doubts. Every time you think you have her figured out, she just keeps re-writing WNBA history books.

Also, let’s just say the thing out loud. Post players don’t typically get credit for the work they do because it’s not electric like a logo three, and bigs aren’t usually dishing out filthy assists at will (unless they are Alyssa Thomas).

So, the fact that a guard AND a forward are both challenging for Rookie of the Year makes this 2024 race so intriguing and so much fun. It’s giving Arike Ogunbowale versus Napheesa Collier in 2019 vibes, and I’m so here for it.

Most Improved Player: DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun

DiJonai Carrington was not a starter for the Connecticut Sun last season, and you wouldn’t know that by her play.

Her motor is out of this world, and she’s got career highs in nearly every major category, including points, rebounds and assists. If that wasn’t enough, the most impressive trait to witness this season has been her defensive prowess.

Carrington has been a lockdown defender, and that’s not easy to do when you’re in new territory facing players you wouldn’t typically guard.

Sixth Woman Of The Year: Chennedy Carter, Chicago Sky

Despite now being a starter, Chennedy Carter still *technically* qualifies for this award as of this posting. (She’s started eight games and come off the bench for 12 games.)

During her time on the bench, she was averaging a very solid 12 points, but since being inserted in the starting lineup, Chennedy is up to nearly 22 points a game, and that’s some otherworldly stuff. The Sky are 4-4 in the games she’s been a starter and 4-8 in any game she came off the bench.

I think that Chennedy is playing so well that she’s going to play her way right out of this award, which is a very good thing.

Coach of the Year: Cheryl Reeve, Minnesota Lynx

Last season was not very kind to Minnesota, with injuries and a bitter exit from the playoffs. But head coach Cheryl Reeve has elevated the Lynx’s abilities through some spectacular offseason moves (Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith), which has helped Minnesota rise atop multiple categories across the league.

The team not only has the league’s best defensive rating, but it also leads the WNBA in 3-point shooting and assists per game. Additionally, Minnesota is fifth or better in field goal percentage, rebounds, steals and blocks.

By all accounts, The Lynx have exceeded any expectations for the season.