As the 2026 WNBA season nears the halfway point, the Minnesota Lynx lead with a 15-4 record followed by the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at 14-5.

New franchises are competing in their first campaigns, including the Toronto Tempo, the first Canadian team in WNBA, and the Portland Fire, which returned to the league after fielding a squad from 2000 to 2002.

The Aces’ A’ja Wilson is averaging 25.5 points per game to lead the scoring race. The Atlanta Dream’s Angel Reese leads with 11.6 rebounds per game.

MORE: Emmanuel Acho makes stunning Caitlin Clark WNBA claim

Third-year player Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever’s dynamic playmaker, continues to be the face of the league. She already holds the record for the most 20-point, 10-assist games in WNBA history. Rising players Reese, Paige Bueckers and Olivia Miles are considered impactful as well.

Just last week, Alyssa Thomas has been suspended for a game after a Phoenix Mercury game against the Fever. After video review, league officials upgraded a loose-ball scramble incident to a Fragrant 2 foul, ruling out Thomas for a reckless non-basketball contact with Clark. On the other hand, Marina Mabrey of the Tempo created history with a 53-point game against the Los Angeles Sparks, tying the WNBA’s single-game scoring record.

Since its incepton in 1997, the league has produced several stars and players who have changed the dynamics of the WNBA and its franchises.

Following are our rankings for the best 25 players in the 29-year history of the WNBA. Discover the greatest WNBA players ever, ranked by championships, MVPs, records, impact and lasting influence on women’s basketball.

1. Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)

WNBA All-Star Diana Taurasi reflects on her 20 seasons with the Phoenix Mercury during a retirement news conference at the Phoenix Mercury’s practice facility. | Arizona Republic via Imagn Images

Diana Taurasi had unmatched scoring prowess. She retired with a record 10,646 career points, more than 2,000 more than any other player, and holds the league record for 3-pointers and free throws made. Throughout her career she maintained an average of 18.8 points, 4.2 assists and 3.9 rebounds in 565 regular-season outings. Taurasi is a three-time champion with the Mercury, three-time MVP, two-time WNBA Finals MVP and five-time scoring champion. She also won six Olympic gold medals with Team USA. In retirement, she is dedicating her time to youth basketball development.

2. Cynthia Cooper (Houston Comets)

USC Trojans head coach Cynthia Cooper directs her team against the South Carolina Gamecocks. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Image

Cynthia Cooper played in Europe for 11 years before joining the WNBA for its inaugural season. She was the WNBA’s first true superstar and founding icon, dominating the league while winning four consecutive titles (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) with the Comets. Cooper was a four-time Finals MVP, a two-time WNBA regular-season MVP and three-time scoring champion. She averaged 21 points and 4.9 assists over a five-year career. The Olympic gold medalist has joined Amazon Prime Video’s WNBA broadcast team, where she provides analysis.

3. Sheryl Swoopes (Houston Comets)

Former WNBA player Sheryl Swoopes hosts a WBNA All-Star brunch in honor of her former teammate, Nikki McCray Penson.

Sheryl Swoopes is considered one of the best two-way players in basketball history, having won four consecutive WNBA titles and three league MVP awards. She won three Defensive Player of the Year awards and won two scoring titles. Swoopes became the first female athlete to receive a Nike Signature shoe, the “Air Swoopes,” which is an elite boost in sneaker culture and athlete marketing. She is a six-time WNBA All-Star and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016. After retirement, Swoopes has been an anchor of Premier coverage for Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball broadcast. Meanwhile, she has taken leadership roles on issues related to women’s health and lifestyle wellness.

4. Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx)

Former WNBA player Maya Moore attends Women’s 2025 Women’s NCAA Tournament national championship. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Maya Moore anchored the Lynx to four WNBA championships between 2011 and 2017 during her intense physical prime. She made a seamless transition from a lethal perimeter shooter to a high-flying interior rebounder, winning an MVP award along with a scoring title and a steals title. In 2019, at 29 years old and coming off her fifth consecutive All-WNBA First Team selection, Moore paused her career. She walked away to secure the freedom of Jonathan Irons, a wrongfully convicted man serving a 50-year prison sentence. The couple eventually married after his release. Moore was the first female basketball player to sign with Jordan Brand Subsidiary.

5. Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks)

Former WNBA player Lisa Leslie poses before a semifinal of the Final Four of the Women’s 2026 NCAA Tournament between the UConn Huskies and the South Carolina Gamecocks. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lisa Leslie spent her entire 12-year career with the Sparks, winning championships in 2001 and 2002 and becoming the first WNBA player to throw down an in-game dunk. She also became the first WNBA player to reach 6,000 career points and 3,000 rebounds. Leslie was the regular season MVP three times and Finals MVP twice. She won a pair of Defensive Player of the Year awards. Leslie led Team USA to four consecutive Olympic gold medals.

6. A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)

Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) competes against the Phoenix Mercury. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A’ja Wilson is regarded as the most dominant active player. Wilson already cemented her legacy as a four-time WNBA regular season MVP and a three-time WNBA champion before turning 30. She is an apex winner, from bringing her hometown South Carolina Gamecocks their first NCAA national title in 2017 to capturing back-to-back professional crowns. She is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time WNBA All-Star, a five-time blocks champion and two-time scoring champion.

7. Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks)

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Candace Parker during the Naismith Hall of Fame press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Nicknamed “Ace,” Candace Parker was the 2008 first overall draft pick by the Los Angeles Sparks and spent 13 of her 16 seasons with the franchise. She won the regular-season MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in her first season. Parker won WNBA championships with three different teams Sparks (2016), Chicago Sky (2021) and Las Vegas Aces (2023). She is a three-time MVP and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year. In June, she joined the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Presently the lead studio analyst for Amazon Prime Video’s 2026 WNBA coverage, she also has a deal with TNT Sports, where she continues her analytical role on “Inside the NBA.”

8. Lauren Jackson (Seattle Storm)

Aug 23, 2012; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Storm center Lauren Jackson (15) prior to the game against the Indiana Fever at KeyArena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-5 Australian star revolutionized the center and power forward positions with her shot-blocking and elite 3-point shooting range. Lauren Jackson became the first global WNBA player to win three WNBA MVP awards. She won two WNBA championships with Seattle and was a three-time scoring champion and a Defensive Player of the Year. Jackson was a five-time Olympian with three silver medals and two bronze medals for Australia.

9. Sue Bird (Seattle Storm)

Former UConn Huskies player Sue Bird is honored with the retirement of her jersey number. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Sue Bird, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 WNBA Draft, spent her entire 19-year career with the Storm. Bird mastered the traditional point guard position, focusing on dictating tempo, creating open opportunities and maximizing the abilities of Lauren Jackson and Breanna Stewart. Bird is the all-time WNBA assists leader with 3,234 career assists over 580 starts. She won four WNBA championships and was a 13-time WNBA All-Star. Bird won five gold medals with Team USA. She is a lead analyst for WNBA on NBC and Peacock, also serving as a global ambassador for the upcoming 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin.

10. Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever)

Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings gives a speech during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a mural of Catchings in the Mass Ave neighborhood in Indianapolis. | The Indianapolis Star via Imagn Images

Tamika Catchings is one of the most complete two-way players in WNBA history, having spent her entire 15-year career with the Indiana Fever. Catchings single-handedly built her franchise’s identity, resulting in a historic 2012 WNBA championship, becoming the Finals MVP. She won five Defensive Player of the Year awards and seven steals titles and claimed the 2011 MVP award. Catchings rejoined the Fever in 2026 to support corporate strategy, community growth and business initiative across WNBA’s Fever and the NBA’s Indiana Pacers.

11. Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky/Minnesota Lynx)

Former WNBA player Sylvia Fowles walks the Orange Carpet at RPM Seafood. | David Banks-Imagn Images

Sylvia Fowles was an elite two-way star of her time. She holds the WNBA’s all-time record for career field goal percentage at 59.9 alongside career averages of 15.7 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. She won two WNBA championships with the Lynx and was a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, three-time rebounding champion and two-time blocks champion. Fowles also made waves by becoming the lead assistant coach for the Portland Fire during their 2026 return season.

12. Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm/New York Liberty)

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) shoots a free throw against the Chicago Sky. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Breanna Stewart is a global star, one of the most decorated basketball players of all time. Stewart achieved a feat that may never be matched in college basketball history. She took the UConn Huskies to four consecutive NCAA national championships (2013-2016), winning the Most Outstanding Player award all four times. Stewart won two WNBA championships with Seattle and one with the New York Liberty and won two regular season MVPs and two Finals MVPs. Stewart is averaging 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists per game for the Liberty.

13. Tina Thompson (Houston Comets)

Seattle Storm forward Tina Thompson (7) is interviewed following a victory over the Chicago Sky. | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Tina Thompson spent her legendary 17 seasons dominating the league, capturing the league’s first four championships. Thompson made history as the No. 1 overall pick by the Comets in the 1997 WNBA Draft. She was a nine-time WNBA All-Star and an eight-time All-WNBA selection. Thompson finished her career with 7,488 regular-season points. After her departure from the WNBA, she served as a highly respected pro personnel scout for the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers.

14. Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx)

The Minnesota Lynx honor former player Seimone Augustus for her 2024 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and 2024 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductions. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Seimone Augustus was nicknamed “Money” for her exceptional smooth and clinical mid-range game, establishing herself as one of the most unstoppable perimeter scorers in women’s basketball history. She has four WNBA championships under her belt with the Lynx as well as the 2011 Finals MVP and 2006 Rookie of the Year. Augustus is the assistant coach for the LSU Tigers women’s basketball team.

15. Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky/Washington Mystics)

Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductee Elena Delle Donne smiles during an interview. | The Knoxville News-Sentinel via Imagn Images

Elena Delle Donne had amazing shooting ability. Drafted second overall in 2013 by the Chicago Sky, she was an ultimate symbol of scoring efficiency and structural resilience. Playing at an MVP level while battling the daily exhausting symptoms of chronic Lyme disease, she used her platform to raise millions for medical research and disability resources. Delle Donne was a WNBA champion with the Mystics, a two-time MVP, a scoring champion and the 2013 Rookie of the Year.

16. Yolanda Griffith (Sacramento Monarchs)

Former WNBA player Yolanda Griffith speaks during her Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Yolanda Griffith anchored the Monarchs to the 2005 WNBA championship. In her rookie year of 1999, Griffith became a breakout star, taking the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards. Griffith utilized devastating positioning and baseline strength to command the interior, winning two rebounding titles. She is a five-time All-WNBA team selection and an eight-time WNBA All-Star. Griffith is an assistant coach for Boston College women’s basketball team, focusing directly on tactical post footwork, interior positioning and defensive rebounding mechanics.

17. Lindsay Whalen (Connecticut Sun/Minnesota Lynx)

Minnesota Lynx assistant coach Lindsay Whalen works with a player before a game. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Image

Lindsay Whalen achieved home-state iconic status, first transforming the University of Minnesota into a national powerhouse as a player before returning to the most successful team era in WNBA history, winning four championships with the Lynx. She retired as the winningest player in WNBA history, having been a part of more than 300 individual career victories. Whalen ranks fifth all-time in assists with 2,348. She is a five-time WNBA All-Star and three-time assists champion. She is now an assistant coach for the Lynx under Cheryl Reeve.

18. Katie Smith (Minnesota Lynx/Detroit Shock)

Former Ohio State Buckeye Katie Smith talks to reporters about joining Kevin McGuff’s coaching staff. | The Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Images

Katie Smith is recognized as one of the most prolific scorers of all time. She won two championships with the Shock before retiring in 2013 as the all-time leading scorer in women’s professional basketball. Smith scored 7,885 points in her career across the ABL and WNBA, a mark that stood for years. Smith was the first player in WNBA history to make 900 career 3-pointers. She was the league scoring champion in 2001, averaging 23.1 points per game with the Lynx.

19. Nneka Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks/Seattle Storm)

Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) in the first half against the Indiana Fever. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The 2012 WNBA Draft’s first overall pick by the Sparks is a definitive leader who transformed the financial landscape of WNBA. In 2016, Nneka Ogwumike put up an incredibly efficient individual season on the way to a championship and MVP award. She shot 66.5 percent from the field for the season and pulled down a career-high 9.1 rebounds per game. Known for the unparalleled integrity on the hardwood, Ogwumike is the only player in history to win the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award four times. She has been the WNBA All-Star selection 10 times. Ogwumike is averaging at 16.2 points and 8.5 rebounds for the Sparks.

20. Cappie Pondexter (Phoenix Mercury/New York Liberty)

Eastern Conference guard Cappie Pondexter (23) of the New York Liberty reacts during the 2013 WNBA All-Star Game. | Danny Wild-Imagn Images

Cappie Pondexter anchored the Mercury on the way to two WNBA championships. Standing just 5-9, Pondexter was a walking mismatch. Her ability to break down elite perimeter defenders off the dribble and pull up on a dime made her one of the most feared late-game players. She is a seven-time WNBA All-Star, and got All-WNBA honors four times. Since her retirement from active play, Pondexter has aligned with premium international talent groups like MN2S Booking Agency.

21. Ticha Penicheiro (Sacramento Monarchs)

Former WNBA player Ticha Penicheiro speaks to a reporter during media availability for the 2019 inductees of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. | Knoxville News-Sentinel via Imagn Images

Ticha Penicheiro retired in 2012 as the all-time WNBA steals leader with 764 and stands third on the all-time assists lists with 2,599. Penicheiro, a seven-time assists champion, won a WNBA title with the Monarchs in 2005. She was a four-time WNBA All-Star and three-time All-WNBA Selection. Penicheiro serves as the vice president and head of the Women’s Basketball Division at On Time Agency.

22. Swin Cash (Detroit Shock/Seattle Storm)

Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and and former WNBA player and New Orleans Pelicans vice president of basketball operations & team development Swin Cash speaks during a press conference at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Swin Cash’s fame rests on her unparalleled physical versatility on the floor and her elite path as a trailblazer. Upon her retirement in 2016, Cash was one of the only two players in WNBA history to accumulate at least 5,000 points, 2,000 rebounds and 1,000 assists over a career. She was the primary athletic spark plug for the Shock run (2003, 2006 titles) and later provided the missing championship puzzle piece for the Storm (2010). In 2026, Cash was appointed president of the Women’s Sports Foundation.

23. Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun/New York Liberty)

Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5) drives to the basket against Connecticut Sun center Tina Charles (31). | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

As the 2010 WNBA Draft first overall pick by the Connecticut Sun, Tina Charles spent her 15 years with six different franchises. Charles, who never won a title, became the first player to reach 4,200 career rebounds. She was the 2012 WNBA MVP, 2010 Rookie of the Year, two-time league scoring champion and four-time rebounding champion. She is No. 1 on the all-time WNBA rebounding list with 4,262 and stands No. 2 on the all-time scoring list with 8,396 points. Since her retirement in May, Charles is focusing heavily on scaling her personal charity, the Hopey’s Heart Foundation. The non-profit secured fresh funding to place life-saving Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in gyms, schools and recreational parks nationwide.

24. Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)

Connecticut Sun center Brittney Griner (42) reacts after a call as they take on the Chicago Sky. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Brittney Griner completely revolutionized around-the-rim play in the women’s game. Standing 6-9 with an extraordinary 7-4 wingspan, Griner won a WNBA championship in 2014 with the Mercury. She is a two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time scoring champion. Griner made dunking a standard feature of the WNBA landscape. She holds the record for the most dunks in WNBA history, having recorded more regular-season and postseason dunks than every other player in league history combined.

25. Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream/Las Vegas Aces)

USA Basketball Women’s National Team’s Angel McCoughtry smiles during practice. | Louisville Courier-Journal via Imagn Images

Drafted first overall in 2009 by the Dream, Angel McCoughtry came into the league with a lightning-fast open-floor transition game and lock-down defensive motor. McCoughtry famously holds multiple historic all-time scoring single-game records in the postseason, including a legendary 42-point playoff performance. She was a two-time steals champion and the 2009 Rookie of the Year.

Conclusion

As the 2026 season continues to break new ground with expansion teams, rising stars, and record-setting performances, the WNBA’s influence has never been stronger. Veterans continue to define greatness while a new generation pushes the league forward. Together, they have transformed the WNBA into a global basketball powerhouse, driving unprecedented growth, fan interest and opportunities for future stars.