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The WNBA enters its final week of games before a two-week pause for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup with Angel Reese making the biggest move in the awards races. The Atlanta Dream forward and Eastern Conference Player of the Week had a record-setting 26-rebound game Monday. A’ja Wilson also earned Western Conference Player of the Week honors and remains the leader in both the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year races.
Rookie of the Year is again omitted from the rankings because Olivia Miles remains the runaway frontrunner. Miles leads all rookies in scoring at 19.7 points per game while also averaging 6.2 assists.
This is the 14th installment of the weekly awards watch. The rankings are based on current player production, team performance, league context, current standings and the latest power rankings from the WNBA and ESPN. Statistics and records include games played through Aug. 24.
2026 WNBA MVP Power Rankings, Odds
1. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson stays first with the strongest individual case in the league. She leads the WNBA with 26.0 points and 2.0 blocks per game while averaging 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.4 steals. She is also shooting 52.1% from the field. Wilson reinforced her position by earning her 32nd career Western Conference Player of the Week honor after averaging 24.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. Las Vegas is 26-13 and fourth in ESPN’s latest power rankings. Wilson is already a four-time MVP and three-time Defensive Player of the Year, leaving her in position to add to one of the most decorated individual resumes in league history.
2. Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx
Miles stays second because her all-around production continues to come with the strongest team context in the race. She is averaging 19.7 points, 6.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals while shooting 49.5% from the field and 39.7% from three. Minnesota is 31-8 and remains No. 1 in ESPN’s power rankings despite Monday’s loss to Golden State. Miles’ combination of scoring, playmaking and the Lynx’s league-best record keeps her ahead of the challengers behind Wilson.
3. Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever
Mitchell moves back into the top three and replaces teammate Caitlin Clark. Mitchell is second in the WNBA at 24.8 points per game and has been efficient, shooting 51.0% from the field and 45.5% from three. She scored 121 points across Indiana’s past four games, including 37 against Dallas (with 15-of-15 at the line) and 30 against Chicago. Mitchell scored at least 25 in all four contests. Indiana went 2-2 during the stretch and sits at 25-14.
Clark remains right outside the top three. She is averaging 22.1 points and is tied for the league lead with 8.3 assists, giving her the clear playmaking advantage. But because Mitchell and Clark share the same team context, Mitchell’s higher scoring average and shooting efficiency give her the edge this week.
2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
1. A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson stays first as she pursues a fourth Defensive Player of the Year award. She leads the league with 2.0 blocks per game while adding 9.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals. Las Vegas also leads the WNBA at 4.9 blocks per game. Wilson’s defensive value continues to come without sacrificing anything on the offensive end, a two-way combo that is enough to hold off a surging Reese.
2. Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
Reese moves up one spot after her strongest week this season. She leads the WNBA with 12.4 rebounds per game and ranks third in steals at 1.8. Reese averaged 24.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 3.7 steals while shooting 67.4% from the field during her three-game Player of the Week award period. During her historic 26-rebound performance Monday, her 20th broke A’ja Wilson’s single-season record of 451, giving her 458. The team context is also improving. Atlanta is 25-13 and jumped to No. 2 in ESPN’s power rankings after its four-game winning streak.
3. Natasha Howard, Minnesota Lynx
Howard replaces Gabby Williams at No. 3. She is one of the league’s most productive defenders on the WNBA’s top team, averaging 7.7 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game along with scoring 15.0 points per contest. Minnesota is allowing just 80.0 points per game, giving Howard a strong combination of individual production and team defensive context. This gives her the edge over Williams for the final spot this week.
2026 WNBA Most Improved Player Power Rankings, Odds
1. Jessica Shepard, Dallas Wings
Shepard stays first with one of the most complete year-to-year improvement cases in the league. She is averaging 14.2 points, 11.1 rebounds and 4.9 assists while shooting 58.3% from the field. She has 21 double-doubles and four triple-doubles. Those numbers are well above her 2025 averages of 8.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Dallas has also steadied itself with consecutive victories to improve to 22-16, giving Shepard better team context than she had a week ago.
2. Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm
Malonga stays second. The second-year center is averaging 17.0 points, 8.9 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.5 blocks and has recorded 11 double-doubles. As a rookie, Malonga averaged 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 14.3 minutes without making a start. Her scoring has more than doubled and her rebounding has nearly doubled as her role has expanded significantly. Last-place Seattle’s 7-31 record remains the biggest weakness in her candidacy, but the size of the individual leap keeps her at No. 2.
3. Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics
Austin replaces Portland’s Carla Leite at No. 3 after putting together a substantial year-over-year jump of her own. She is averaging 17.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 blocks in 29.7 minutes per game. Her 9.6 rebounds rank third in the WNBA. Austin averaged 12.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 23.0 minutes last season. Washington’s 22-15 record also gives Austin stronger team context than Leite and Malonga, pushing her into the top three this week. The Mystics have also clinched a playoff spot ending a two-year postseason drought.
2026 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Power Rankings, Odds
1. Janelle Salaün, Golden State Valkyries
Salaün remains the clear leader. She is averaging 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 22.4 minutes while making 2.4 three-pointers per game and shooting 39.0% from beyond the arc. Coming off the bench Monday in Golden State’s win over Minnesota, she contributed 12 points, five rebounds and three assists in 28 minutes. Her scoring volume continues to separate her from the rest of the reserve field, while the Valkyries’ 26-11 record adds strong team context.
2. Sophie Cunningham, Indiana Fever
Cunningham stays second. She is averaging 8.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 22.9 minutes while shooting 47.6% from the field and 44.1% from three. She has started only three of her 38 appearances, confirming that her production continues to come overwhelmingly in a reserve role. Salaün has the clear advantage in scoring volume, but Cunningham’s shooting efficiency and role on Indiana’s league-leading offense keep her firmly in second.
3. Jewell Loyd, Las Vegas Aces
Loyd stays third with averages of 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals in 26.6 minutes. She has started three of her 37 games, keeping her comfortably within a reserve role. Her shooting remains the weakness in her case at 35.2% from the field and 31.9% from three, but her minutes, defensive activity and role for a championship-contender Las Vegas team are enough to keep the final spot this week.
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