2026 WNBA MVP Race: Predicting This Season's Early Frontrunners
2026 WNBA MVP Race: Predicting This Season's Early Frontrunners
This year's MVP race will have several elite names. Lindsay Burke|
The 2026 WNBA season is still young, but the race for MVP is quickly heating up. What makes a solid candidate? A solid candidate consistently produces elite statistics across the board, all while elevating their team's overall performance.
With just under 30 games remaining in the season, here's an early breakdown on which players are on pace for MVP consideration.
Aja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Aja Wilson, a four-time MVP, is picking up right where she left off last season in what was the Aces' third title in the last four years. Wilson is once again setting the pace, averaging a league's best 26.1 points per game.
It's her two-way dominance that makes her the best player in the WNBA. She dominates the opposition consistently on both ends of the floor. She leads the league with 2.2 blocks per game and is also pulling down 9.1 rebounds. Add that to her 52.7% shooting (45.9% from deep) and you have the formula for yet another MVP.
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Stewart is no stranger to MVP conversations and she's back in the mix this season. She's currently averaging 19.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
Stewart has put up double-doubles in four of the last five contests, and like Wilson, she is a two-way force. She is averaging 1.3 blocks and 1.5 steals, putting her in the top ten in the league in each category. This while logging more minutes than anyone, showing how much the Liberty have relied on her thus far.
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Clark missed most of 2025 due to injury but she is clearly rounding into form. The Fever star recently earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week recognition after putting up big numbers over her last stretch of games.
Clark is currently third in the league in scoring with 21.1 points and is second in assists at 8.1 per game. Her strongest outing of 2026 came against the Chicago Sky, when Clark finished with a 32-point, 10-assist and 7 rebound masterclass. Her three-point percentage isn't quite where many expect it to be (33.3%), but she is a slight uptick in shooting percentage and a Fever winning streak away from being at the forefront of discussions.
Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings
Second-year player Paige Bueckers has quickly stepped her game up after a complete revamp of the Dallas Wings organization and it's earned her a spot in the MVP conversation. She's currently averaging 18.5 points per game and has vastly improved her outside shooting averaging an impressive 50% from the field and 41.2% from beyond the arc.
Bueckers is one of three players in the WNBA ranking in the top 10 in both scoring and assists per game. She's kickstarted the Wings' impressive run to start the season and is playing with her trademark efficiency, this time on a winning team.
Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks
Kelsey Plum is quietly having the strongest season of her career. Plum continues to be the engine for the Sparks. Through early June - despite missing some action due to injury (ankle sprain/lower leg), she is averaging 24.8 points per game, which is second in the league only to Wilson. She is doing so on 52.7% and 38.3% shooting splits, while averaging 6.4 assists.
If the Sparks can find themselves on the right side of .500, it will be impossible to deny Plum's MVP candidacy.
Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx
Olivia Miles is perhaps the most surprising name on this list, as most didn't think the No. 2 pick in the WNBA Draft would find herself in these types of talks this soon. But her start can't be denied.
Miles is stuffing the stat sheet with 18.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 5.6 assists averages, and she's doing so while at the helm of a Lynx squad that currently boasts the best record in the WNBA.
Published Jun 22, 2026
LINDSAY BURKELindsay Burke covers women’s basketball for Indiana Fever On SI and Women’s Fastbreak On SI. She graduated from Purdue University Fort Wayne with a Bachelor's Degree in journalism and a minor in media production. Early in her career she covered ECHL hockey, the NFL and college football and has since expanded her expertise to the WNBA and the Fever franchise.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
