I spend most of every Sunday sitting on the couch watching women’s college basketball, and this Sunday was no different. When I tuned in to watch South Carolina top Ole Miss, I thought to myself, “Aliyah Boston has to win National Player of the Year.” Then I changed the channel to watch Iowa defeat Michigan and thought, “Actually, Caitlin Clark has to win Player of the Year.”

That pretty much sums up my thought process on the POY race at this stage of the season. I watch one player and think she’s the clear favorite; I watch the other and change my mind.

But with the regular season nearly wrapped up, it’s time to officially choose between the two.

The case for Caitlin Clark

There’s only one way to watch Caitlin Clark play basketball: on the edge of your seat, mouth agape in absolute awe. To put it simply, she is the most exciting player in college basketball. Men’s or women’s, full stop.

There isn’t a shot Clark can’t make. Whether it’s a 3-pointer from the logo or an off-balance, through-contact finish in the lane, when Clark shoots, you’re surprised if she misses. If the POY race takes watchability into account, Clark’s case for the award is air tight.

Then there are her stats. The sophomore is leading the NCAA with 27.5 points per game and 8.3 assists per game. She also has the most triple-doubles of any player this season with five, and she hit 1,500 career points in just 56 games — the fastest a player has done that in men’s and women’s Division I history. Statistically speaking, it’s hard to argue against her.

madness. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ckNlkx2x0t

— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) February 28, 2022

So, we’ve got watchability and we’ve got stats. The next component to a POY resume is what the player does for her team. Iowa has talented players around Clark — the best being Monika Czinano in the post — but the rest of the roster is made up strictly of role players. Clark makes everything happen for the Hawkeyes, and without her, this team likely wouldn’t be ranked and, instead of winning the Big 10, likely would have found itself near the bottom of the conference.

That brings me to the final point of consideration in the POY race: team success. Points, assists, logo 3s and acrobatic finishes mean nothing if your team isn’t winning. And after a difficult start to the season, Iowa is doing just that. With five straight wins over Minnesota, No. 15 Maryland, No. 5 Indiana, Indiana again (this time ranked 10th) and No. 6 Michigan, Iowa not only secured a share of the Big 10 title, but also jumped from 21st in the country to 12th.

Iowa is thriving, and it’s all because of Caitlin Clark.

The case for Aliyah Boston

Caitlin Clark is awe-inspiring because she’s doing things on the basketball court that no one else has, while Aliyah Boston is standing out for the opposite reasons. She’s doing exactly what players before her have done, what other players in the league are doing now and what plenty more will do in the future. The difference is she’s doing it better than anyone else.

It’s a hard feat to revamp rebounding and scoring in the paint, because it’s been a staple of basketball since the sport was invented. Yet, that’s exactly what Boston is proving this season.

The junior recently broke Sylvia Fowles’ SEC record for consecutive double-doubles, with 20, which also makes her one of just five women in DI history to reach that mark. Boston is setting records and playing at a consistently high level in every game, making her games must-see TV. In other words, Boston passes the watchability test.

Oh, you thought the double-team was going to stop @aa_boston
from finding the rim? That's a NOPE. pic.twitter.com/rAGjEZpaJl

— GamecockWBB (@GamecockWBB) February 27, 2022

Now, let’s chat stats. Boston is averaging 16.8 points per game and 11.9 rebounds while shooting 54.4 percent from the field. Her rebounding numbers are sixth best in the country, and while her 16.8 points a game don’t put her in the top 50, it’s certainly nothing to scoff at.

Boston is also playing with two other top players in the country, Destanni Henderson and Zia Cooke, who each average just under 12 points per game. Boston doesn’t have to score over 20 points a game because South Carolina has other weapons. She doesn’t hide on defense, either. The junior averages 2.7 blocks per game, and 8.2 of her rebounds per game come on the defensive end. So adding to Boston’s offensive impact is the fact she takes away tons of scoring chances for South Carolina’s opponents.

All of those points bring us to the final question: What would South Carolina look like without her? With two stars in Henderson and Cooke, and a slew of role players, the Gamecocks would probably be in the top 25, but they almost certainly wouldn’t be No. 1 nor the favorite to win the NCAA Tournament, as they are now. An unwritten rule when it comes to voting for awards like this is to pick the best player on the best team. In that category, Boston stands alone.

The verdict

Now that we’ve unpacked the analysis, it’s time to make a decision. I genuinely don’t think there is a wrong answer here. Both players are deserving, and both players have rock solid arguments for why they should take home the POY prize. It would be easy to say that I can’t choose between Clark and Boston and just leave it there, but that would be a cop-out.

In sports, the emphasis is always on winning, and South Carolina has done that more than any other team. The Gamecocks are 27-1 and have been ranked No. 1 in the country all season long. Neither of those things would have happened without Aliyah Boston, and that gives her the edge.

Poll talk

I like the AP Poll this week from Nos. 1-9. But when it comes to Michigan, Maryland and Iowa taking up Nos. 10-12, I think Iowa deserves to jump into the 10th spot. The Hawkeyes have already moved up nine spots, but they beat Michigan in their last meeting. Sure, the teams split their games on the season, but the most recent games lead me to believe that Iowa is the better team at the moment.

Then, I’m pulling BYU all the way up to 14th. The Cougars have been consistent all season, something teams above them can’t say. And sure, the WCC isn’t as strong of a conference, but going 15-1 in any conference is impressive.

Finally, it’s time to get Princeton into the rankings. The Tigers are another consistent team, now 12-0 in the Ivy League conference, and they haven’t lost since playing Texas on Dec. 22. Let’s give them a little credit.

JWS’ Top 25 in Week 17

1. South Carolina (27-1)
2. Stanford (25-3)
3. NC State (26-3)
4. Louisville (25-3)
5. Baylor (24-5)
6. LSU (25-4)
7. UConn (22-5)
8. Iowa State (24-5)
9. Texas (21-6)
10. Iowa (20-7)
11. Michigan (22-5)
12. Maryland (21-7)
13. Ohio State (22-5)
14. BYU (25-2)
15. Arizona (20-6)
16. Indiana (19-7)
17. Tennessee (22-7)
18. North Carolina (23-5)
19. Oklahoma (22-6)
20. Florida Gulf Coast (26-2)
21. Notre Dame (21-7)
22. Virginia Tech (21-8)
23. Florida (20-9)
24. Georgia Tech (20-9)
25. Princeton (20-4)

Eden Laase is a contributing writer at Just Women’s Sports. She previously ran her own high school sports website in Michigan after covering college hockey and interning at Sports Illustrated. Follow her on Twitter @eden_laase.

The first Nike Player Edition sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark sold out almost immediately on Monday morning, with fans snapping up the limited run of the Fever guard's Kobe 5 Protros within minutes of the 10 AM ET online drop.

Inspired by the Indiana Fever's colors, Clark's high-gloss Kobe shoes come in Midnight Blue with a tongue and additional accents in Bright Crimson, as well as "vibrant hits of University Gold."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

Though Nike did not disclose actual stock numbers, multiple sneaker insiders estimated that Monday's release included just 13,000 pairs of Clark's edition.

Originally on sale for $190 through Nike's website, the Kobe 5 Protro PE is already topping $350 on the resale market.

Clark has been a Nike athlete since inking an NIL deal with the sportswear giant just before her junior NCAA season at the University of Iowa in October 2022, with the WNBA sophomore later signing a reported eight-year, $28 million endorsement contract just after finishing her collegiate career.

That current deal, inked just after the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the 2024 WNBA Draft's overall No. 1 pick, includes the release of a signature shoe.

While Nike still plans to add Clark to its signature shoe roster, the brand appears to be testing the market's waters using the guard's preferred on-court Kobe sneakers — to a sellout success.

How to buy the Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE

Plans looking to pay retail prices for Clark's latest sneaker design will have to wait for Nike to restock, with online resellers like StockX, GOAT, and Flight Club currently selling the shoes at a significant markup.

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming later this month, teams across the league aren't waiting for the August 7th deadline to pull the trigger on trades and waivers, significantly shaking up league rosters.

On Monday, Dallas abruptly traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a 2027 first-round draft pick, surprising Smith and her Wings teammates — including girlfriend DiJonai Carrington.

"Sick to my stomach dawg, never seen this coming," Smith posted to X after the WNBA announced the trades, adding "if I could've chose anywhere to go it would've been Vegas, so hella excited [for] this new opportunity."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

WNBA trades target future prospects

The recent WNBA trades both reflect the depth of options Dallas has in their frontcourt — most recently boosted by the Wings acquiring center Li Yueru from Seattle last month — and indicates the team's early play at a talented WNBA Draft class, with NCAA stars like USC's JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo going pro in 2027.

At the same time, Smith's trade extends Las Vegas's first-round draft drought, with the Aces — who last added a first-round selection in 2022 — currently without an early draft pick until 2028.

As the Las Vegas focuses on leveling up this season, hoping Smith helps boost their current seventh-place league standing, the Aces also added roster cuts to their Monday trade.

Las Vegas handed out waivers to guard Tiffany Mitchell and second-year forward Elizabeth Kitley, who was selected 24th overall by the Aces in the 2024 WNBA Draft despite tearing her ACL at the end of her NCAA career.

Golden State waives 2025 EuroBasket champ Vanloo

Making their own controversial Monday move was 2025 expansion side Golden State, as the Valkyries cut Belgian guard Julie Vanloo shortly after the 2025 EuroBasket champion rushed to return to California, skipping her national team's title-winning celebrations.

"Literally just touched down in the bay," Vanloo wrote on an Instagram story littered with broken heart emojis. "I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can't right now."

While Golden State faces backlash for the timing of the cut, waiving Vanloo ultimately opens up a contract for the Valkyries, with rumors swirling that either guard Kaitlyn Chen or forward Laeticia Amihere will earn the roster spot after impressing as replacement players during European absences.

All in all, with WNBA roster space remaining at a premium, teams are making big swings in an effort to shore up their ranks as they push toward the 2025 season's halfway point.

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final tips off on Tuesday night, when first-time finalist Indiana will look to upset reigning Cup champs Minnesota in a winner-take-all showdown for both bragging rights and the lion's share of the in-season tournament's prize pool.

With the total purse set at $500,000, athletes on the winning team will earn around $30,000 each — plus an additional $5,000 for the Commissioner's Cup final MVP — while losing players will take home $10,000.

While Tuesday's final won't count toward the regular-season WNBA standings, the battle will be the first meeting between the Lynx and Fever this year, adding first-clash drama to the already-high stakes.

"I think it's going to feel like a playoff game. It's going to be really fun," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters, noting Minnesota's home-court advantage in the matchup. "Our fans show up for us every game, but especially in that environment ... it's going to be electrifying."

Despite the excitement, player availability could tip the scales in Tuesday's outcome, as both Collier and Fever guard Caitlin Clark contend with recent injuries.

While Collier returned from a lingering back issue without missing a beat last weekend, Clark missed Indiana's last two games due to a groin issue and is currently "questionable" to play for the Commissioner's Cup.

"I'm going to be day-to-day," Clark said on Sunday. "Doing everything I can to put myself in position to play the next game. That's always my goal."

How to watch tonight's WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take the court for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final at 8 PM ET on Tuesday.

Live coverage of the in-season tournament's championship game will air on Prime.

The WNBA dropped its All-Star Game starters list on Monday, with just one rookie earning enough votes to feature on the star-studded 10-player lineup.

In addition to being the lone rookie, Dallas's No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers will be the only All-Star debutant playing in the game's first minutes, as the Wings guard joins nine previous All-Stars to tip off the July 19th matchup — giving her a presumptive edge in this year's Rookie of the Year race.

Joining Bueckers as WNBA All-Star starters will be team captains Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), as well as Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

A mix of 50% fan voting, 25% player voting, and 25% media voting determined the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup — though the three groups did not necessarily come to a consensus.

For example, players ranked Clark ninth among guards, while the media put her in third. A record-setting 1.29 million fan votes boosted the Fever star into a captain's role.

As for players who fell just short of a starting position, like Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago forward Angel Reese fell just short of starting at their positions, their All-Star dreams aren't over yet.

Head coaches across the league will now vote to select 12 reserve players, likely adding both fan favorites and stat-sheet stars to the July 6th final All-Star player pool, with Collier and Clark building their teams from that list on July 8th.

Though reputation, skill, and popularity all factor into All-Star nods, this year's group is also underlining the depth of the WNBA's talent base.