BREANNA STEWART AND A’JA WILSON LEAD THE FIELD IN MVP VOTING – 

As the WNBA gears up for the stretch run, there is no better time to discuss the three players with the best odds to win the league MVP award. 

The head and shoulders players above the rest are Las Vegas Aces A’ja Wilson and New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart. But we also have someone on the list that should not be overlooked too. 

So, without further delay, here is a look at how these players have performed during the 2023 season. 

Third Best WNBA MVP Odds: Alyssa Thomas (+2500)

The player with the longest odds of winning the MVP is Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas. In her most recent outing, Thomas finished with eight points (3-for-9 shooting), to go along with 10 rebounds, and seven assists, en route to the team’s 88-83 win against the Dallas Wings.

Sure, Thomas has been held to single digits twice over her last five outings. Despite this glaring trend, though, she is averaging career-best in points (14.5) rebounds (9.6), and assists (8.0). One of Thomas’ noteworthy outings took place against Atlanta Dream on June 15. In that contest, she finished with 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. 

It is also worth mentioning that Thomas is third on the Suns’ roster in scoring, first in rebounding, and assists. Taking that into consideration, Thomas and the Sun will be a formidable opponent when the playoffs begin. 

Given the odds, Thomas does not have enough time to close the gap and make this a competitive race. But if she continues to play at a high level, she has the potential to become a staple in the league MVP conversation going forward. 

Second Best WNBA MVP Odds: A’ja Wilson (+130)

A’ja Wilson has already won the award twice – in 2020 and 2022. In the team’s most recent 107-95 win over the Chicago Sky, Wilson pumped in 24 points (on 9-for-14 from the field) to go along with four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and four blocks. Geez. Now that is what I call a productive day at the office. This outing was the sixth straight game in which Wilson has scored 20 or more points.

Wilson’s best outing of the season thus far took place against the Minnesota Lynx on July 22. In that contest, she notched a double-double that included 35 points and 14 rebounds. Thanks to Wilson’s performance, the Aces tied a WNBA record as the team posted its fifth straight victory by a margin of 15 points. This is just one of many reasons why the defending champs have the best record in the league.

Additionally, Wilson is averaging career highs in points (20.7), rebounds (9.5), blocks (2.2), and shooting efficiency (55.6). Whether Wilson can close the gap between herself and Stewart down the stretch remains to be seen. But barring an unforeseen set of circumstances, Wilson should continue to be in the conversation for the league’s most valuable player for the duration of the season. 

Top WNBA MVP Odds: Breanna Stewart (-150)

As was the case with A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart is a former MVP as well. During her MVP campaign in 2018, Stewart compiled averages of 21.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest on 52.9 percent shooting from the field and 41.5 from beyond the arc. In the team’s recent 88-83 loss to the Minnesota Lynx on July 28, Stewart finished with a state line that included 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists. 

One of Stewart’s best performances of the season thus far is the team’s matchup against the Phoenix Mercury on July 5. In that contest, Stewart scored 45 points, hauled in 12 rebounds, and handed out six assists as well. Stewart shot 13-for-20 from the floor and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. She also converted 14 of her 16 attempts from the charity stripe. 

The Liberty eventually went on to win the game by a slim 99-95 margin despite leading by as many as 20 points in the third quarter. 

It was the second time Stewart eclipsed the 40-point threshold this season. In her first year with the Liberty, Stewart is averaging career-highs in points (23.1) rebounds (9.4), assists (3.7), shooting percentage (47.6), and 3-point shooting (40.2).

All in all, it is a foregone conclusion that Stewart is on track to win her second league MVP award, and based on the numbers, it would be a well-deserved honor for the seven-year veteran.