Since its inception in 1996, the WNBA has been a superstar-driven league. With the league spiking in popularity this season, largely because of the emergence of a rookie superstar named Caitlin Clark, there has never before been more fans of the sport. Fans tuning into the WNBA for the first time this season came at a good time because the league is stacked with superstar talent and championship-contending teams.
There were great women's basketball players long before Clark showed up, though. In this article, we are going to rank the 25 greatest WNBA players in history. Some of these players didn't enter the league until after part of their prime had already passed, but they made a huge impact regardless. Other players have taken the WNBA by storm in recent seasons while still having time to add to their resumes. Regardless of how these players made this list, their contributions to the WNBA all played a big part in getting the league to where it is today.
25. Deanna Nolan
Stats: 13.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.2 APG
Accolades: 2006 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 3x All-NBA team
Championships: 3
Deanna Nolan was an incredible athlete whose speed and leaping ability propelled her to five All-Star appearances and three championship victories. The final spot in the top 25 WNBA players list went down to her and her Detroit Shock teammate, Swin Cash.
24. Rebekkah Brunson
Stats: 9.2 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 1.1 APG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 7x All-Defensive team
Championships: 5
Basketball is all about winning, and no one has done that more in the WNBA than Rebekkah Brunson. Her five championships are the most in league history, and while her statistics don't jump off the page, she would always do the little things that contributed to winning. Brunson was a great defender and rebounder, and she set mean screens.
23. A'ja Wilson
Stats: 20.1 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 2.1 APG
Accolades: 2x MVP, 2023 Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 4x All-NBA team, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 3x All-Defensive team, 3x blocks leader, 2018 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 2
A'ja Wilson still has a long career ahead of her, and while some may think we are jumping the gun by putting her in the top 25, the Las Vegas Aces star has already done so much in her career. She is one of just eight multi-time MVPs, she already has won two championships, and she is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Wilson has made the All-Star Game each season it has been held during her career.
With a dominant interior game on both sides of the floor that has helped to make her team the best team in the league, Wilson will likely continue to be the best player in the WNBA for years to come, and she will likely skyrocket up this list by the end of her career. She is currently averaging a jaw-dropping 28.3 points per game during the start of the 2024 season.
22. Angel McCoughtry
Stats: 18.6 PPG, 5 RPG, 2.9 APG
Accolades: 5x All-Star, 6x All-NBA team, 8x All-Defensive team, 2x scoring champion, 2x steals leader, 2009 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 0
The Atlanta Dream won four games in their first season in existence. Then, they drafted Angel McCoughtry first overall, and she completely turned the franchise around. Despite a lack of talent around her, McCoughtry carried the Dream to three Finals appearances early in her career. She was able to carry the load because she thrived on both ends of the floor. She has been both a scoring champion and a steals leader.
21. Chamique Holdsclaw
Stats: 16.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.5 APG
Accolades: 6x All-Star, 3x All-NBA team, 2002 scoring champion, 2x rebounds leader, 1999 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 0
Chamique Holdsclaw wasn't usually viewed as one of the five best players in the WNBA at any point in her career, but she was regularly looked at as a top 10ish player in the league. With 11 consecutive double-digit scoring seasons, Holdsclaw was good enough for long enough to grab a spot in the 25 greatest all-time WNBA players list.
20. Katie Smith
Stats: 13.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.6 APG
Accolades: 2008 Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 2x All-NBA team, 2001 scoring champion
Championships: 2
Katie Smith entered the league as one of the best shooters in the game. When she improved as a playmaker, her game reached new heights, and it led to a couple of championships.
19. Nneka Ogwumike
Stats: 16.6 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2 APG
Accolades: 2016 MVP, 8x All-Star, 6x All-NBA team, 6x All-Defensive team, 2012 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 1
Nneka Ogwumike has combined great efficiency with a high intensity style of play, and it has made her a nightmare to defend. She is an animal in the paint, and she likely has plenty of good years ahead of her. After 12 years with the Los Angeles Sparks, Ogwumike is playing in her first season with the Seattle Storm.
18. Seimone Augustus
Stats: 15.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 2.3 APG
Accolades: 2011 Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 6x All-NBA team, 2006 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 4
Every Batman needs a Robin, and while Seimone Augustus usually played second fiddle to Maya Moore, she still accomplished a lot for the Minnesota Lynx. It wasn't like Augustus wasn't dominant, either. She could score at will, and she actually was the top option during Minnesota's first run to championship glory.
17. Cappie Pondexter
Stats: 16.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 3.8 APG
Accolades: 2007 Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 4x All-NBA team, 1x All-Defensive team
Championships: 2
It often takes a few years of development for basketball players to become the best versions of themselves. That wasn't the case for Cappie Pondexter, as the guard made an immediate and massive impact on the league. She became the quickest player ever to score 3,000 points, secure 1,000 assists, and convert 200 steals, and her ability to stuff the stat sheet lasted well into her 30s.
16. Tina Thompson
Stats: 15.1 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.6 APG
Accolades: 9x All-Star, 8x All-NBA team
Championships: 4
Tina Thompson has tons of accolades. She won the championship in each of the league's first four seasons, and she still ranks second all-time in total points (7,488). However, she misses out on the top 15 all-time because she was only the third option on the Houston Comets dynasty.
To her defense, Thompson continued to play at a high level even after Cynthia Cooper retired and Sheryl Swoopes took a step back. At the end of the day, Thompson is a legendary player because she contributed to winning at the highest level early in her career before taking on a bigger role later in her career.
15. Yolanda Griffith
Stats: 13.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.5 APG
Accolades: 1999 MVP, 2005 Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 5x All-NBA team, 1999 Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Defensive team, 2x rebounds leader, 2x steals leader
Championships: 1
Yolanda Griffith is the most forgotten MVP in WNBA history, but she won the award during a time when there were a number of multi-time MVP megastars. That season was preceded by back-to-back seasons being top three in MVP voting. That three-year prime stretch came during Griffith's first three seasons in the league, and had she entered the WNBA before her age 29 season, she likely would have contributed much more to the league.
14. Brittney Griner
Stats: 17.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.9 APG
Accolades: 9x All-Star, 6x All-NBA team, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 7x All-Defensive team, 2x scoring champion, 8x blocks leader
Championships: 1
Brittney Griner came into the league with huge expectations. By standing 6-feet-9 inches tall and because of a prolific career at Baylor, Griner was viewed by many as the greatest WNBA Draft prospect ever. She has lived up to expectations, too. Griner is nearly impossible to score on inside. Her size has allowed her to become the league's greatest rim protector. Her shot-blocking prowess hasn't been as unbelievable in recent seasons (although it has still been very good), but she has made up for it by improving as a scorer during the back half of her career.
13. Tina Charles
Stats: 18.1 PPG, 9.3 RPG, 2.2 APG
Accolades: 2012 MVP, 8x All-Star, 9x All-NBA team, 3x All-Defensive team, 2x scoring champion, 4x rebounds leader, 2010 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 0
Tina Charles' best days might be in the rearview, but she was dominant from a young age and for a long time. The center is a load to handle inside, but to make matters worse for defenders, she is even able to stretch the floor and knock down shots. The only thing alluding Charles' resume is a championship victory. She remains the best player of all time without a ring.
12. Breanna Stewart
Stats: 20.7 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 3.1 APG
Accolades: 2x MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 5x All-Star, 6x All-NBA team, 5x All-Defensive team, 2022 scoring champion, 2016 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 2
Breanna Stewart won four championships in college playing for UConn, so it was easy to predict that she would become a WNBA superstar. She isn't even 30-years-old yet, yet she already has two championships and two MVPs to her name. Stewart has averaged 20.7 points per game in her career by scoring in a variety of ways, and considering she is playing on a New York Liberty team that is one of the best in the league, she is likely to add even more to her resume and soar up this list in the near future.
11. Sue Bird
Stats: 11.7 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 5.6 APG
Accolades: 13x All-Star, 8x All-NBA team, 3x assists leader
Championships: 4
Sue Bird may not have the physical traits and athletic gifts of a lot of her peers on this list of greatest WNBA players ever, but she was an ultimate team player who is considered by many to be a top 10 player all time. Bird was a floor general who would get her teammates involved. This is illustrated by the fact that she ranks first in career assists with 3,224. Bird's skillset stood the test of time, as now one has played more games than the 580 that she suited up for.
10. Sylvia Fowles
Stats: 15.7 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 1.1 APG
Accolades: 2017 MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 8x All-NBA team, 4x Defensive Player of the Year, 11x All-Defensive team, 2x blocks leader, 3x rebounds leader
Championships: 2
Sylvia Fowles is the greatest rebounder in WNBA history. Like in the early days of the NBA, the early days of the WNBA were stacked with centers. Sylvia Fowles stands above the rest when it comes to cleaning the glass. The center is first all-time in total rebounds (4,006), rebounds per game (9.8), and single-season rebounds per game (11.8). She was more than just a board specialist, though, as she is also one of the most efficient interior scorers in league history.
9. Elena Della Donne
Stats: 19.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.9 APG
Accolades: 2x MVP, 7x All-Star, 5x All-NBA team, 2013 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 1
Elena Della Donne is as big as the best frontcourt players ever, but she has the finesse and shooting ability of some of the best guards in league history. That versatile and unique skillset has made her a force to be reckoned with throughout her WNBA career. Despite standing 6-foot-5 inches tall, Della Done has the only 50-40-90 season in WNBA history, she has led the league in scoring, and she ranks first in all-time free throw percentage (93.7%).
8. Lauren Jackson
Stats: 18.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.4 APG
Accolades: 3x MVP, 2010 Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 8x All-NBA team, 2007 Defensive Player of the Year, 5x All-Defensive team, 3x scoring champion, 2007 rebounds leader
Championships: 2
Lauren Jackson perhaps went under the radar more than any other WNBA player in the top 10 all-time, but she deserves her praise as one of the league's all time greats. During her prime, Jackson was both one of the best offensive players and one of the best defensive players in the league.
7. Cynthia Cooper
Stats: 21 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 4.9 APG
Accolades: 2x MVP, 4x Finals MVP, 3x All-Star, 4x All-NBA team, 3x scoring champion
Championships: 4
Cynthia Cooper was the WNBA's first megastar, and she is a big reason the league has advanced to where it is at today. The WNBA wasn't created until years after Cooper's collegiate days, which means she didn't join the Houston Comets until she was 34. She was only able to play five seasons because of this, but she immediately made a huge impact.
Cooper won the championship in each of her first four seasons, as well as the MVP award in each of the league's first two years. Despite having star teammates around her, she managed to win the Finals MVP each time she played in the championship.
Cooper was impossible to stop in the pick and roll, and she really scored at will. Her 21 career points per game are the most in WNBA history despite the fact that she did not enter the league until way past her physical prime.
6. Maya Moore
Stats: 18.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 3.3 APG
Accolades: 2014 MVP, 2013 Finals MVP, 6x All-Star, 7x All-NBA team, 2x All-Defensive team, 2014 scoring champions, 2018 steals leader, 2011 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 4
The Houston Comets were the WNBA's first dynasty, but they weren't the league's best dynasty ever. That honor belongs to the Minnesota Lynx, a team that won four championships and went to an additional two with Maya Moore leading the way. Moore made the championship series in six of her eight seasons before leaving the WNBA before reaching the age of 30 in order to focus on family, ministry, and social justice reform issues.
If it wasn't for her early retirement, Moore may have gone on to become the greatest WNBA player ever, but she accomplished a lot even in a short amount of time.
5. Candace Parker
Stats: 16 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 4 APG
Accolades: 2x MVP, 2016 Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 10 All-NBA team, 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Defensive team, 2015 assists leader, 3x rebounds leader, 2x blocks leader, 2008 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 3
In the same way that Los Angeles Lakers – the biggest organization in the NBA – fans debate if Magic Johnson or Kobe Bryant is the best player in franchise history, fans of the Los Angeles Sparks debate between Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker as the WNBA's biggest franchise's best all-time player.
Parker was drafted first overall in 2008, and she immediately took the league by storm. She won the MVP as a rookie thanks to a modern and versatile skillset. The forward/center could play inside or outside, as she could bang with bigs and score in the paint or stretch the floor and shoot the jump shot. Her versatility is further illustrated by the fact that she has led the league in assists, blocks, and rebounds at one point or another, all while scoring close to 20 points per game for most of her career.
4. Lisa Leslie
Stats: 17.3 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 APG
Accolades: 3x MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 8x All-Star, 12x All-NBA team, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 4x All-Defensive team, 2x blocks leader
Championships: 2
Every time something never seen before happens in the WNBA, the league grows in popularity. Lisa Leslie becoming the first WNBA player to dunk in a game was monumental for the league, and she found success against her peers with a dominant interior presence. She was one of the league's best players all the way until the day she retired. Leslie just edges out Candace Parker on this list.
3. Sheryl Swoopes
Stats: 15 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.2 APG
Accolades: 3x MVP, 6x All-Star, 7x All-NBA team, 3x Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Defensive team, 2x scoring champion, 2x steals leader
Championships: 4
Sheryl Swoopes was a star in the WNBA's early days. In fact, she was the league's very first player, as no player signed a contract in the newly formed league before her. She was immediately a contributor to arguably the league's greatest dynasty, the Houston Comets. Her Comets won each of the first four league championships.
Swoopes didn't start off as the team's best player. That honor belonged to Cynthia Cooper. Swoopes improved each season during that championship span, though, until she finally won the league MVP in her fourth season. Cooper went on to play only one more season, but Swoopes kept getting better. She'd add two more MVP trophies to her collection, and she was a star who could truly do it all, as someone who has a GOAT case should be able to. Swoopes played on both ends of the floor. She won two scoring titles but was also a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
2. Tamika Catchings
Stats: 16.1 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 3.3 APG
Accolades: 2011 MVP, 2012 Finals MVP, 7x All-Star, 12x All-NBA team, 5x Defensive Player of the Year, 12x All-Defensive team, 8x steals leader, 2002 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 1
Tamika Catchings is the best defensive player in WNBA history, and it is not particularly close. Catchings led the league in steals eight times en route to winning the Defensive Player of the Year award an astonishing five times. It was nearly impossible to drive past her or shoot over her, and her ability to turn defense into offense was immaculate. She wasn't a slouch offensively, though. She actually ranks third in all-time points with 7,380.
1. Diana Taurasi
Stats: 19.4 PPG, 4 RPG, 4.3 APG
Accolades: 2009 MVP, 2x Finals MVP, 10x All-Star, 14x All-NBA team, 5x scoring champion, 2014 assists leader, 2004 Rookie of the Year
Championships: 3
Diana Taurasi has combined domination and duration unlike any other WNBA player. Her longevity is unmatched, as she is still playing at a high level despite entering the league in 2004. She may not have the most MVPs, nor the most championships, but she has consistently been arguably the best player in the league for a very long time.
Taurasi has played the entirety of her 20-year career with the same team (Phoenix Mercury), and she has been a force on offense since day one. She can score at every level, as evidenced by the five times in which she has led the league in scoring, but she is also more than capable as a playmaker, which is a skillset she has improved on as her athleticism has dwindled during the back half of her career. As a scorer, the UConn product has the record for single-season points in a game (25.29) and career points (10,307), the latter of which is increasing with each passing game.
Taurasi may only have one MVP honor to her name, but she finished top-10 in MVP voting in 13 of her first 16 seasons. Even with an influx of young talent in recent seasons, Taurasi is still one of the best players in the WNBA, and she rightfully holds the title of WNBA GOAT.
Follow Us
Subscribe