Historic is the word thrown around to describe the WNBA’s 28th season.
I think it’s better described with a name: A’ja Wilson.
Of course, when the league comes up, many will immediately jump to Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who, along with Sky forward Angel Reese, is being credited for ushering in a new era for the league. However, when it comes to defining the excellence demonstrated in the league’s 40-game season the only place to start is with Wilson.
The question is: Will Wilson’s dominance be enough to lead the Aces to a mountaintop only the defunct Houston Comets have ascended?
While Wilson completed a season that left no room for debate regarding who the best player in the world is, other end-of-the-season awards were a little less clearly defined.
This year, I again had the privilege of voting with 67 other media members, including national and local, representing all 12 WNBA markets.
Here are my selections for the WNBA end of season awards:
Most Valuable Player:
A’ja Wilson
This pick was like brewing your favorite cup of coffee in the morning on your reliable drip coffee maker — foolproof.
Wilson broke the single-season scoring record, finishing with 1,021 points in 38 regular season games. She set a new single-season rebounding record and led the league in blocks.
Wilson’s greatness should be acknowledged with a unanimous MVP nod.
Rookie of the Year:
Caitlin Clark
Like my vote for Wilson as MVP, voting for Clark as the league’s 2024 Rookie of the Year was equally as uncomplicated. No, it’s not because I graduated from Iowa, despite what many would like to believe.
Not only did Clark have one of the best rookie seasons in WNBA history, she was one of the league’s best players regardless of experience. She set the WNBA’s single-season record for assists, had the most 20/5/5 games in a single season in WNBA history, is the first rookie ever to record a triple-double — which she did twice — and helped lead the Fever back to the playoffs for the first time in nearly 10 years.
Coach of the Year:
Cheryl Reeve
Reeve is the league’s longest-active coach and one of the greatest in its history at executing swift turnarounds.
After two seasons with a winning percentage below .500, Reeve has a team that many believed wouldn’t even make the playoffs as the No. 2 seed entering the postseason. She did it with two new starters, Courtney Williams and Alanna Smith, whom she picked up in free agency due to the Sky’s negligence.
Defensive Player of the Year:
A’ja Wilson
This vote was one of the most challenging because of the year Napheesa Collier had.
I expect many will have voted for Collier, who may even come away with the award in the end. Wilson, however, led the league in blocks, total rebounds, was first in defensive win shares, third in total steals and second in defensive rating which is why she got my vote.
Most Improved:
DiJonai Carrington
Many considered Chennedy Carter for this award, however, my vote went to Carrington because she actually improved year over year. Carter has always been the dominant player we saw in 2024. This was just her first complete WNBA season.
This was Carrington’s first year as a starter. Her scoring average was up by 55.42%, rebounds by 65.52% and assists by 15.38%.
Sixth Woman of the Year:
Tiffany Hayes, Aces
Hayes was retired before the Aces front office convinced her to join their attempt at a three-peat. She signed nearly three weeks into the season and has been critical for them off the bench, averaging 9.5 points, 2.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds.
All-Rookie Team:
Caitlin Clark, Fever
Angel Reese, Sky
Kamilla Cardoso, Sky
Leonie Fiebich, Liberty
Rickea Jackson, Sparks
All-WNBA First Team
A’ja Wilson, Aces
Napheesa Collier, Lynx
Breanna Stewart, Liberty
Caitlin Clark, Fever
Alyssa Thomas, Sun
All-Defensive First Team
A’ja Wilson, Aces
Napheesa Collier, Lynx
Ezi Magbegor, Storm
Alysssa Thomas, Sun
Breanna Stewart, Liberty