Top 5 WNBA Players Before 2025 Season: A'ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark?

With so much new talent entering the WNBA through the offseason, which players are on top of the league? Former Oregon Ducks and current New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu makes the cut, but Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson tops the list.
Oct 20, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in game five of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Oct 20, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in game five of the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The WNBA is full of superstars with the season opener right around on the corner on May 16. Here are the top-five of the best players in the league right now. Former Oregon Ducks star Sabrina Ionescu makes the cut with the New York Liberty, but who is ranked above her?


5. Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale

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May 15, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale (24) reacts after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Sky at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Coming off her best season as a pro, Ogbunwale gets a new sidekick in town with UConn guard Paige Bueckers getting drafted No. 1 overall in the 2025 WNBA Draft by the Wings. Ogunbowale dished out a career-high 5.1 assists per game last season and the figure should rise with an elite offensive threat like Bueckers in the backcourt with her. The Notre Dame product averaged 22.2 points per game last season, the second highest figure in the league.

4. New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu

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Oct 20, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) celebrates after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in overtime to win the 2024 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The former Oregon Ducks legend, Ionescu is coming off her first WNBA championship after the Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx in the 2024 WNBA Finals. Ionescu plays on a roster loaded with talent such as forward Breanna Stewart, who just missed the cut, and still stands out as the top player on a championship-winning team. In 2024, she averaged a career-high 18.2 points per game and chipped in 6.2 assists to go along. Ionescu has the talent to move up the list by the end of the season.

3. Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier

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Oct 18, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier (24) celebrates her teams win after game four of the 2024 WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Arguably the catalyst to the Lynx' run to the 2024 WNBA Finals, Collier followed up her breakout 2023 season with an even better year in 2024. The forward from UConn averaged 20.4 points per game and reeled in 9.7 rebounds to go along with. Collier has finally hit her stride and began to generate buzz as the next great player to hail from UConn and coach Geno Auriemma.

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2. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark

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Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) questions an official Sunday, May 4, 2025, during a preseason game between the Indiana Fever and the Brazil national team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Regarded as one of the best college basketball players of all time, Clark had an up-and-down rookie season in 2024 and still found a lot of success. In 40 games played, Clark averaged 19.2 points per game and added 8.4 assists. She showcased all the offensive potency shown in college, but it didn't translate to team success as the Fever finished 20-20 and was sixth in the Eastern Conference. If Clark is able to take the next step and full adapt to the physicality of the WNBA this season, she could challenge Wilson for the title of best player in the league sooner than later.

1. Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson

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Aug 25, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) passes the ball against the Chicago Sky during the second half at Wintrust Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As the reigning 2024 WNBA MVP, it's hard not to have Wilson at the top of this list. Averaging a monstrous 26.9 points per game over the past season, Wilson is the best women's basketball player on the planet and has been for some time. Despite coming off a season where the Aces fell short in the semi-finals to the eventual champion Liberty, Las Vegas should be at the top of the league's power rankings once again due to Wilson's dominant prescence on the court.

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Gabriel Duarte
GABRIEL DUARTE

Gabriel Duarte is am On SI reporter covering the Oregon Ducks and USC Trojans. Gabriel has covered many college sporting events around the Southern California area including basketball and football for USC. Gabriel also writes for his local newspaper on high school sports.


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