It’s never been easy to make the WNBA All-Star Game. And in recent years, it’s only grown more difficult.
Of course, there are a handful of generational players at the top of the league who will inevitably fill up most of the available spots. And there even are more first-timers making serious cases. The league is overflowing with talent, and that’s led to some incredibly crowded ballots.
But there’s always room for new names, and right now, these are the WNBA players with the best odds to make their first-ever appearances at 2026 All-Star Weekend.
Marina Mabrey: 53 Reasons (Toronto Tempo)
2026 WNBA Stats: 21.2PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 45.9% FG, 40.3% 3PT
The 3-point shooting from Marina Mabrey this season has been pretty close to evocative.
That was true even before she tied the single-game scoring record, but her magnum opus further illustrates the point. Mabrey was pulling up from Ottawa against the Sparks, and it made no difference. It’s been the same story all year. From a standstill, off movement, off the dribble — none of that’s mattered. In 2026, the rule is easy to remember: If the ball leaves Marina Mabrey’s hands, it’s more than likely going in. A trip to Chicago is more than warranted.
Confidence: 9/10
Jessica Shepard: Completely Full Stat Sheets (Dallas Wings)
2026 WNBA Stats: 14.3 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 5.4 APG, 58.8% FG, 0.0% 3PT
Generally speaking, racking up triple-doubles at a higher rate than anyone in the league is enough to earn a trip to the WNBA All-Star Weekend. And Jessica Shepard’s done precisely that — in addition to maintaining stunning efficiency.
She’s been a skeleton key for the Wings' transition offense. A forward who can grab tough rebounds and immediately generate easy opportunities for Dallas with her vision, and her game in the half-court has been just as valuable. Shepard’s equal parts elite connector and cost-effective offensive hub, and any player who can be described as both of those things is too good to be watching the festivities from home.
Confidence: 9/10
Olivia Miles: Historic Rookie Season (Minnesota Lynx)
2026 WNBA Stats: 18.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.7 APG, 51.9% FG, 32.8% 3PT
It almost feels like cheating to include her, but barring some kind of supernatural event, Olivia Miles will make her first WNBA All-Star appearance in July. The obvious nature of that statement may kill the excitement, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
Miles has picked defenses apart with constant rim pressure as well as the vision to take advantage of any defensive misstep. And even if she wasn’t in the midst of one of the best rookie seasons in league history, her live-dribble creativity alone would make her a worthy addition to the weekend. Her skillset is simply designed for this kind of stage.
Confidence: 10/10
Carla Leite: Playmaker Appreciation (Portland Fire)
2026 WNBA Stats: 15.1 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, 43.5% FG, 41.0% 3PT
There’s something about watching Carla Leite run a pick and roll that just puts you at ease. It’s a pervasive comfort that’s difficult to explain.
Portland’s left-handed floor general has an acute understanding of two of the most important and underrated aspects of the point guard position: angles and pace. Leite knows when to slow down and when to suddenly speed up, and she immediately capitalizes on any opening she creates by manipulating her tempo, whether it’s a driving lane or a passing window.
Put that all together and it looks like a chess grandmaster stoically rearranging the board.
Confidence: 6/10
Veronica Burton: Winning Matters (Golden State Valkyries)
2026 WNBA Stats: 12.2 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.4 APG, 38.2% FG, 33.8% 3PT
Last season Veronica Burton finished Top 10 in the MVP voting but missed the 2025 WNBA All-Star game. And while there aren’t precise stats to capture the novelty of that, it feels safe to assume it hasn’t happened often.
Beyond righting a past wrong, Burton’s foundational contributions to the Valkyries more than justify an All-Star selection this season. Her smothering defense and elite ball control have been critical to Golden State’s more methodical approach. And whenever they’ve needed tough buckets in big moments, she’s been there to generate them. Any player who contributes that significantly to winning basketball games deserves to be an All-Star.
Confidence: 7/10
Azzi Fudd: Midseason Momentum (Dallas Wings)
2026 WNBA Stats: 13.6 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 1.6 APG, 48.5% FG, 38.4% 3PT
It isn’t easy to make the WNBA All-Star Game as a rookie. And when Dallas was easing her into her professional career, it didn’t look like Azzi Fudd was going to get the volume of opportunities required to pull it off. However, that’s changed as of late.
Over the past few weeks, Fudd has put up multiple eye-popping stat lines, and she’s done it without making the usual rookie mistakes. She’s a two-way weapon that’s naturally fit into the Wings attack. And if she keeps producing like this, it’s difficult to imagine a world where she isn’t in the Windy City on July 25th.
Confidence: 7/10
Dominique Malonga: Sheer Talent (Seattle Storm)
2026 WNBA Stats: 17.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 50.9% FG, 40.9% 3PT
There are two things working against Dominique Malonga. The first is the Storm being near the bottom of the WNBA standings. While team performance doesn’t directly affect anyone’s eligibility, it can limit visibility. And the time she missed early in the season with a concussion won't help either.
Nevertheless, when Malonga’s been on the floor, she’s looked like a harrowing vision of the future game. The 20-year-old has the fluidity, skill, and athleticism of an elite center, and if she does make the game, she’ll look right at home.
Confidence: 6/10
Jordin Canada: Nonstop Flawless Passing (Atlanta Dream)
2026 WNBA Stats: 11.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 7.0 APG, 46.6% FG, 34.0% 3PT
This year's All-Star ballot will be overloaded with guards who’ve put up wild numbers, and Jordin Canada won’t exactly be able to stand toe-to-toe with them in scoring. But as a pure point guard, there aren’t many players sharper than Canada.
Atlanta’s show-runner is the personification of possession control. She picks more pockets than anyone outside of her backcourt partner, finds her teammates at an elite rate, and her assist to turnover ratio is the best in the league among starters. While her resume might not be eye-catching enough to get the nod, but she’s earned it regardless.
Confidence: 5/10
Written in coordination with Half Past Noon.
For the vast majority of the league's existence, WNBA player stats have been ruled by the bigs. From the days of Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker to the more recent dominance of A’ja Wilson, the game has been primarily controlled by interior players — not guards.
However, that longstanding status quo is starting to wane.
There are a few different elements driving this change. The one that will get the most attention is a shift towards freedom of movement by this season’s officiating crews. While that has undeniably played a role, the primary driver is much more straightforward.
To put it simply, today’s WNBA guards are just that good.
Olivia Miles: A Live Dribble Magician (Minnesota Lynx)
2026 WNBA Stats: 20.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.4% FG, 35.3% 3P
If you went into a lab and meticulously designed the perfect point guard for the modern era, you’d end up creating a duplicate of 2026 No. 2 draft pick Olivia Miles.
It all starts with the handle. Miles has that rare balance of control and creativity that makes defense look like hell. One misstep or bad guess and a defender will find themselves in the center of a viral highlight.
She’s got an array of passes diverse enough to hit a roller from any angle, along with the poise to make tough layups look easy, and recently she’s put the shooting concerns to bed. The future is blindingly bright in Minnesota.
Paige Bueckers: A Live Dribble Magician (Dallas Wings)
2026 WNBA Stats: 19.3 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 6.1 APG, 50.2% FG, 40.3% 3P
The disadvantage of being a prodigy is that it’s almost impossible to impress anyone, but what Paige Bueckers has done so far is jarring.
After her terrific rookie campaign, Bueckers has responded to her early success by improving in every measurable aspect of the game. She’s been more efficient from the field, she’s making more threes at a higher clip, and she’s finding teammates more often while turning the ball over slightly less.
It’s the kind of growth that points to a tireless work ethic and a crystal clear understanding of her own skillset — frankly terrifying traits for someone of her talent level to have.
Brittney Sykes: A Shapeshifting Bucket-Getter (Toronto Tempo)
2026 WNBA Stats: 20.1 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 42.1% FG, 27.1% 3P
It’s difficult to imagine what a functional scouting report for Brittney Sykes would look like, because every bucket comes in a different way.
She’s more than capable of shooting off the catch or operating with poise in the pick and roll. But if you leave her on an island, Sykes can break her matchup down off the dribble with enough flair to make two points feel like four.
Between her and fellow guard Marina Mabrey, the Toronto Tempo have a real shot at making the playoffs in their first year as a franchise. Perimeter firepower goes a long way in today’s WNBA.
Kelsey Plum: A Quick-Stop Artist (LA Sparks)
2026 WNBA Stats: 34.5 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 6.4 APG, 52.7% FG, 38.3% 3P
Since 2021, Kelsey Plum has been an offensive maestro. The silky smooth lefty has featured in four of the last five WNBA All-Star Games thanks to a lethal blend of pace, quickness, and touch. But now that defenders can’t lean on aggressive physicality to slow her down, Plum’s reached an entirely new level.
Right now, she’s averaging the fourth-most points per game in league history on ridiculous efficiency. And if she maintains those averages, Plum will be the first player in the WNBA to average more than 25 points and five assists in a single season.
At this rate, the hand-checking rules might need an exception.
Allisha Gray: A Scorer Always in Motion (Atlanta Dream)
2026 WNBA Stats: 19.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 45.8% FG, 34.1% 3P
There aren’t many players who are as intuitive without the ball in their hands as Allisha Gray.
Of course, she knows how to do the little things, like drifting alongside ball-handlers and rotating over to fill open space. But Gray has all the finer points of off-ball movement down as well.
She forces defenders into excruciating guessing games with every screen and dribble hand-off, hitting them with a dizzying combination of feints and committed cuts to create space for her feathery jump shot. There’s nothing like watching a great player manipulate the little things.
Caitlin Clark: A Long Range Game-Breaker (Indiana Fever)
2026 WNBA Stats: 21.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 8.2 APG, 42.6% FG, 33.1% 3P
It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever this season. They’ve both endured their fair share of rough patches and there are probably more bumps in the road in store for a team attempting to diversify its attack. But one thing remains clear: Caitlin Clark is a strategic wrecking ball.
The gravity of her shot-making pushes defenses to extend further than average rotations can support. And in turn, that widens passing lanes for one of the best playmakers in the game.
It’s never fun guarding someone who can comfortably pull up from 30-feet.
Rhyne Howard: A Prototype Without a Blueprint (Atlanta Dream)
2026 WNBA Stats: 19.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.3 APG, 42.4% FG, 38.5% 3P
Rhyne Howard is one of the most underrated athletes in all of sports.
Offensively she’s a nightmare from the future. Her frame gives her the ability to shoot over most defenders, and that combined with a lethal jump shot has enabled Howard to lead the WNBA in made 3-pointers. On the other end of the floor, she leads the league in steals with three per game — one entire steal more than anyone else.
If you love great guard play, watch the Dream.
Chelsea Gray: An All-Seeing Oracle (Las Vegas Aces)
2026 WNBA Stats: 20.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.4% FG, 35.3% 3P
If forced to guess, we’d say Chelsea Gray’s in-game heart rate averages somewhere between 40 and 50 BPM — likely due to the ice coursing through her veins.
Gray plays with the serenity that every point guard dreams of, as if she can peer into the future and use that omniscient anticipation to set teammates up for easy baskets, or burst through lanes with unflinching strength.
And now, deep into a Hall of Fame career, Gray is shooting threes at a career-high volume and efficiency.
Kelsey Mitchell: An Angle Eraser (Indiana Fever)
2026 WNBA Stats: 20.9 PPG, 1.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 47.4% FG, 35.3% 3P
Not once in Kelsey Mitchell’s career has she aimlessly put the ball on the floor. When she dribbles, Mitchell has a very specific aim in mind — and it’s usually getting to the rim.
For years now Mitchell’s been manipulating angles and abruptly changing her pace to attack the basket. And as long as her jump shot remains pristine, defenders will never have an answer for it.
She’s a decisive slasher and a polished shooter wrapped up into one player, which is the basketball equivalent of peanut butter and jelly. Some combinations are mutually additive.
Written in coordination with Half Past Noon.
We’re just about one month into the 2026 WNBA season, and already A’ja Wilson has added to the record books, a couple rookies have gotten off to historic starts, and the Indiana Fever is playing at a breakneck speed.
It’s been a lot to keep up with, so here are some curated player stats that you might’ve missed as WNBA teams continue to shatter expectations across the league.
Top 2026 WNBA Scores and Player Stats
Through the first month, Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles leads all rookies in points, assists, and steals.
Despite her recent injury struggles, LA guard Kelsey Plum is leading the league in scoring with 26.8 points per game and a true shooting percentage of 72.9%.
After Tuesday’s win over the Sparks, Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson has more games with 25+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ blocks than any player in WNBA history.
Fever superstar Caitlin Clark averaged 8.5 assists per game over the course of her career — that’s 1.8 more than anyone in WNBA history.
There are three players with a +/- above 10, and two of them are rookies: Olivia Miles (+12.3) and Azzi Fudd (+10.5).
Chicago forward Angel Reese tied the single-season record for offensive rebounds per game in 2024 with 5.1. This season, she’s averaging 5.4.
Rookie standouts Paige Bueckers (Dallas) and Olivia Miles (Minnesota) are the only players in the WNBA to make the Top 10 in total points and assists so far this season.
The Golden State Valkyries are holding opponents to the lowest number of points in the paint and points off turnovers of any team in the league.
If the season ended today, the Lynx’s +13 net rating would mark the 17th highest in league history. And captain Napheesa Collier has yet to play a single game.
New York has the highest assist percentage in the league at 73.7% while ranking second in true shooting percentage at 59.3%.
And Indiana is playing at a pace of 99.22 — on track to becoming the league’s speediest team since 2019.
Research done in coordination with Half Past Noon.
UConn captured its sixth consecutive Big East tournament title on Monday with a dominant three-game run at Mohegan Sun Arena.
The Huskies defeated Georgetown, Creighton and Villanova by an average of 44.3 points to claim the program's 31st conference tournament title. Along the way, Sarah Strong earned Most Outstanding Player honors while Azzi Fudd and KK Arnold landed on the all-tournament team.
UConn remains undefeated at 31-0 heading into the 2026 NCAA Tournament. And while the Huskies secured the Big East's automatic bid, the team still faces a major question: Will it earn the national tournament's No. 1 overall seed?
The Connecticut women's basketball powerhouse held that distinction in the first two NCAA bracket reveals. However, UCLA is now gunning for the top spot after finishing the season 31-1 overall with an undefeated Big Ten regular-season run. The Bruins routed Iowa 96-45 in the Big Ten title game and own 18 Q1 victories — double UConn's nine.
UConn leads UCLA in the NET rankings, Torvik rankings, and AP Top 25 Poll, though UCLA did steal three first-place AP Poll votes from the Huskies this week.
Receiving the No. 1 overall seed carries significance beyond bragging rights, with the top NCAA team getting an extra day of rest between the regional finals and the Final Four.
Mohegan Sun Extends Big East Tournament Hosting Deal
The Big East announced during Monday's championship game that the tournament will stay at Mohegan Sun Arena for at least three more years, with Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma praising the venue and atmosphere.
"When you have that many people coming out year after year, when you have people here at 11:30 at night watching the game, the people here at Mohegan know how to run events," said the legendary UConn boss. "I can't imagine it being anywhere else, to be honest with you."
Selection Sunday is fast approaching, after four No. 1 seeds emerged from 2026 conference tournaments to set the stage for the March Madness bracket.
UConn remains the overall top seed despite questions about whether UCLA might deserve the spot, while SEC tournament winner Texas jumped South Carolina to claim the third seed. The Longhorns victory allows the team to stay close to home with potential games in Fort Worth, while South Carolina heads to Sacramento to tip off regional play.
UCLA crushed Iowa 96-45 to capture the Big Ten tournament title, with the Bruins holding advantages in key metrics with 18 Q1 wins and one of the nation's toughest schedules. However, the NCAA selection committee already placed undefeated UConn at No. 1 in both Top 16 reveals this season.
Duke claimed the fourth No. 1 seed by winning both the ACC regular season and tournament championships, after the Blue Devils beat Louisville in overtime to secure the top line.
West Virginia broke into the Top 16 for the first time since 1992 by upsetting TCU 62-53 in the Big 12 championship, with the Mountaineers subsequently hosting NCAA tournament games.
However, the bubble remains tight heading into March 15th's Selection Sunday. Arizona State boosted its resume with two Big 12 tournament wins, while Richmond survived despite losing in the Atlantic 10 semifinals and Nebraska hangs on despite a first-round exit.
How to Watch Selection Sunday's March Madness Bracket 2026 Reveal
Selection Sunday arrives March 15th at 8 PM ET on ESPN, with 23 automatic bids remaining undecided as the 2026 bracket continues to take shape this week.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins dives into the individuals who put together standout performances for the USWNT in the team's recent pair of friendlies, from a big update in the goalkeeping race to the squad's multi-layered midfield project.
Watkins also breaks down the missed opportunities amid the USWNT's 3-0 win over China PR and 4-0 victory against Jamaica, as the year of head coach Emma Hayes's great roster experiment crosses the six-month mark.
Diving straight into the players who impressed, Watkins first calls out US captain Lindsey Heaps, applauding her performances while also noting that she "[wishes] maybe [Heaps] was used more situationally than kind of all the time."
"Heaps has so much to give this team, but it is probably against teams like this where they're sitting back a little bit more," explains Watkins. "I don't love her against a press. I don't love her against a super athletic, physical midfield, but in these games, she really shines."
Shifting to the ongoing search to crown retired goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's replacement, Watkins dubs Manchester United net-minder Phallon Tullis-Joyce — who started both USWNT friendlies — the overall frontrunner.
"Tullis-Joyce honestly reminds me a lot of Alyssa Naeher in her first couple years with the USWNT," says Watkins. "She's calm, she's organized, she's a good shot-stopper. She's a great communicator."
Young talent make strong cases for USWNT roster inclusion
Watkins also sings the praises of several young talents whose performances over the last week will make them hard to drop, including "obvious" choices like forward Alyssa Thompson and attacker Catarina Macario, as well as strike Ally Sentnor and teen midfielder Lily Yohannes.
Callling Yohannes "the freaking truth," Watkins notes that "you're seeing glimpses of what could become truly world-class play against the top teams in the world in a couple of years."
Making a slightly quieter, but no less impactful, case, argues Watkins, is winger Michelle Cooper.
Cooper's consistent refining and improvement have Watkins comparing her progress to star Trinity Rodman's USWNT evolution, saying that top passing is "how [Rodman] worked her way into the team before starting to take more shots. I think Cooper can follow that same game plan."
Missed opportunities leave some players scrambling
Pivoting to the missed opportunities arising from the two friendlies, Watkins calls the center-back pairings "lackluster," celebrating the return of star Naomi Girma and her rock-solid play as well as veteran Emily Sonnett's versatility while critiquing Hayes's decision to not test much depth at the position.
"It just feels like a wasted opportunity with so many other center back injuries," Watkins explains, referencing season-ending injuries to players like Tierna Davidson.
Along with what Watkins calls "rough" set pieces, she notes that less rotation and late subs were a missed opportunity to adequately test fresh faces or build chemistry with other players.
Noting that performances like forward Lynn Biyendolo's Jamaica match, in which she scored a brace off the bench, are "the gold standard," Watkins also questions Hayes's own criticism about the level of play dropping off when athletes aren't given enough minutes to find their feet and make an impact.
Citing talent like defender Emily Sams and midfielders Lo'eau LaBonta and Olivia Moultrie, Watkins posits that the sub patterns "just didn't quite have the focus that I'm sure Hayes was looking for."
"I worry that the players that kind of got dumped into games late never really had a chance, which is this happens at times when they're starting to ramp up," she says.
Overall, Hayes seems to be more obviously honing in on her starting core.
"We're starting to see players get multiple starts.... Those are the players to take seriously as the future of this program," notes Watkins.
"Hayes is being very purposeful with what she wants to see from her starters and what she wants to see from her bench. And there is an increasing gap between those two groups," says Watkins. "So the competition rises next international break."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins discusses the importance of the current international window for the USWNT and digs into the players who did and did not make head coach Emma Hayes's latest 24-athlete roster.
Watkins begins with those not invited to this week's senior team camp, with Hayes using the concurrent U23 camp as a "minor league" for athletes who "need a little bit more development or need to be in a different training situation or have different leadership structures."
Watkins specifically digs into the placement of midfielder Korbin Albert and forwards Jaedyn Shaw and Mia Fishel with the U23 squad, as well as the overall omission of goalkeeper Jane Campbell.
Honing in on Albert, Watkins calls her U23 spot a demotion, saying "It's wild to me that someone who started the [2024] Olympic gold-medal match for the USWNT is now playing for the U23s when the senior team is in session."
"I think we're stuck in this question of, 'is she good enough or is she not?'" explains Watkins, noting that "Albert isn't giving [Hayes] those all-around performances that validate that roster spot when there are other players that could be given a look."
In contrast, Watkins backs Hayes's decisions to place the versatile Shaw and Fishel — who's still regaining form from a 2024 ACL tear — with the youth team.
Calling her "the player truly out in the cold here," Watkins worries that 30-year-old Campbell might be facing an "always the bridesmaid, never the bride of the US goalkeeper cycle," with Hayes opting for a largely untested trio of Mandy McGlynn, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, and Claudia Dickey as she continues seeking retired star Alyssa Naeher's replacement.
Top NWSL play fuels USWNT roster call-ups
The uncapped Dickey, says Watkins, is one of the players reaping the benefits of Hayes's developmental roster movements.
"She is statistically one of the highest performing goalkeepers in the NWSL this season," notes Watkins about the Seattle Reign starter. "The numbers do not lie. She is one of the best pure shot-stoppers in the league this year, if not the best."
Also snagging a shot at the senior team thanks to stellar NWSL play are Orlando Pride standout and "Swiss Army knife defender" Kerry Abello, Portland Thorns midfielder Olivia Moultrie, and Kansas City Current captain Lo'eau LaBonta.
LaBonta, who headlined this USWNT roster by earning her first-ever call-up at age 32, is a versatile midfielder with, according to Watkins, a "really, really strong" mentality as well as a "wonderful locker room presence."
Citing Hayes's previous comments about the age of certain players causing her to seek younger athletes, Watkins wonders if LaBonta's call-up isn't simply a long-overdue reward for years of top professional play, and instead, perhaps, a sign that Hayes is "learning that you need a little bit of both [youth and experience]."
"I think [LaBonta's] going to make herself hard to drop," states Watkins. "With 2027 only two years away, I'm not betting against LaBonta. She's going into this camp looking for more call-ups. This is not just a 'job well done' situation for her."
Finally, Watkins mentions that many younger players, like Kansas City's Michelle Cooper and Claire Hutton, and Utah's Ally Sentnor, are back in the mix "because they're playing too well for the U23s. They've been put into senior team camp and they've swam — they have not sunk."
Summer friendlies serve as senior team try-outs
The stakes are high for the 24 athletes in this USWNT camp, with small windows to impress Hayes while facing two tough opponents in the upcoming days: May 31st's clash with China PR and a June 3rd date with Jamaica's Reggae Girlz.
"Who's going to be able to elevate their game even if they don't have a ton of experience?," asks Watkins. "It's up to the senior call-ups to make those players that are in the U23s harder to call back in. And those players in the U23s are going to probably have to show new sides of themselves to get back into the fold."
"This is the Emma Hayes system. And I cannot wait to say who says, 'Nope. This is not just a pat on the back. You're not dropping me.'"
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins examines the individual standouts of the first third of the 2025 NWSL season, offering her early shortlist of players making strong cases in the league's MVP race.
As defenses continue to find their stride, league scoring is paving the way in the 2025 season so far, leading Watkins to put forth four top attackers, calling them "the most established, the most consistent" MVP candidates.
First, Watkins digs into Kansas City's Debinha, who sits second in the NWSL Golden Boot race with five goals and an assist through eight 2025 matches.
A two-time league champion and three-time Shield-winner with her previous club, the North Carolina Courage, Debinha already owns the 2019 MVP title in addition to two Challenge Cup MVP trophies.
Calling her "the big glitzy comeback story on what is right now the best team in the league," Watkins notes that Debinha is "a killer playmaker [with] a talent for exploiting space [and] finishing her own chances, while also making her teammates better."
Joining Debinha as an early MVP frontrunner is Gotham FC's Esther. With seven goals in nine games, the 2023 NWSL champ and 2023 World Cup winner tops the 2025 Golden Boot leaderboard thanks to her ability "to score with her head and with her feet."
"Where Esther goes, so goes Gotham," says Watkins. "They haven't won a single game this season in which she did not score. That's team impact."
Top 2024 candidates keep pace with 2025 frontrunners
Last year's leaders round out Watkins' MVP favorites, including "a player that gets better when the job gets harder," Orlando's Barbra Banda.
"[Teams are] doing a better job of putting a lot of bodies on Banda to try to slow her down," causing her scoring to take a hit, but Watkins argues that Banda is still "one of the best out-and-out strikers of the ball in the entire league."
Finally, though "there's never been a back-to-back MVP in league history," Watkins says that reigning NWSL MVP and Golden Boot winner Temwa Chawinga is making a major case for running it back, led by the Kansas City star's "superpower of opening space where there is none."
Angel City striker Alyssa Thompson is an NWSL MVP dark horse
Finally, Watkins gives Angel City's Alyssa Thompson a unique nod, calling her the league's most improved player — an award that does not exist in the NWSL.
Remarking on Thompson's growth, Watkins points out the 20-year-old forward's leaps in consistency, poise, and her response to coaching at both the club and USWNT level.
"Her glimpses of brilliance are turning into something more consistent," describes Watkins. "She's fast.... She's a really good dribbler. She can take players on 1v1 and make them look silly, get in behind on goal, shoot, score. But she has widened her ability to connect with teammates.... She's just become a well-rounded winger in a way that we were not seeing before."
With four goals on the season, Thompson currently sits tied for fourth place in the 2025 Golden Boot race with the likes of Banda, Chawinga, Washington's Ashley Hatch, and Louisville's Emma Sears.
"Is [Thompson] in that space to to kind of overtake these really well established, consistent, dominant players [in the MVP race]?" wonders Watkins. "Maybe not. But the fact that she has made this leap to this stature in the league is huge."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins breaks down the 2025 resurgence of the San Diego Wave, a team currently sitting in third on the NWSL table following a disastrous 2024 season.
First, Watkins chats through the Wave's 2024 on- and off-pitch losses, from the abrupt firing of head coach Casey Stoney to the midseason retirement of superstar Alex Morgan to the transfers of franchise players Abby Dahlkemper and Naomi Girma — moves that left the 2023 Shield-winners below the 2024 postseason cutoff line.
Given the 2024 upheaval, "San Diego was set up to surprise," says Watkins. "They not only look better this year than they did last year, but right now they look better than a lot of the other teams in the league despite that talent loss."
There are two reasons for the Wave's 2025 rise, argues Watkins, starting with roster construction. San Diego has a bevy of young talent, including 17-year-olds Kimmi Ascanio, Trinity Armstrong, and Melanie Barcenas, as well as notable NCAA signings in Quincy McMahon and Trinity Byars — proving the Wave is flourishing in the NWSL's post-draft era.
"This is the new era of NWSL where teams, if they can sell young players on the future, they don't have to give up assets to sign those players," explains Watkins. "The best pitch wins. And San Diego, for all of their troubles last year, seems to still have a pretty compelling pitch to get these players to sign for them."
Along with the ability to identify and sign top young talent, explains Watkins, the Wave is also putting together a fast, creative style of play that is allowing San Diego to dominate possession and snag wins.
Could San Diego be in its "dynasty build" era?
Looking forward, while San Diego is clearly on the upswing, Watkins outlines the possible final components the club still needs to push them to the top of the league.
Noting that a young core is likely to struggle with consistency, Watkins says that some midseason pickups to either "let that offense go supernova or [to secure] a veteran stabilizing midfield force would be really useful for them."
Ultimately, Watkins questions San Diego's future in the context of the club's 2024 exodus and 2025 success, asking "Is this a setup for a five-year dynasty build, or is this a team that is always going to be stuck in this cycle of strong talent ID, good development —but then those players move on?"
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women's Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.
In this week's episode of The Late Sub, host Claire Watkins digs into what happened to Gotham FC's 2024 superteam — and whether the NWSL is built for such blockbuster rosters.
With the NJ/NY club kicking off with the same record over the first seven matches in 2025 as the 2024 roster achieved, Watkins uses Gotham to explore "a case study of how a super team does not work in the NWSL."
First, Watkins explains exactly what is meant by a superteam, defining the concept as being rooted in procuring massive talent through free agency — a strategy Gotham employed by signing four former No. 1 NWSL Draft picks and current USWNT veterans Rose Lavelle, Emily Sonnett, Tierna Davidson, and Crystal Dunn to build their 2024 superteam.
"Gotham is a perfect example of why super teams do not translate to the NWSL," says Watkins. "They were very good last year, they finished top four, they make it to the semifinals. They didn't win anything."
The reasons for the failure of a superteam in the NWSL, according to Watkins, include the pressures faced by players balancing the needs of their stacked club roster with their individual development needs to stay atop the international game.
"They need to be playing a certain amount of minutes. They need to be playing in certain positions," notes Watkins. "These players get notes from their US coaches on what they want to see. It's not a failing of anybody's character. It's their job, it's their livelihood. To get back to that level, they have to kind of be of two minds of what's best for them."
NWSL business model rewards parity over superteams
Watkins also digs into the role of the salary cap in NWSL teams' ability to retain top talent.
"It really doesn't seem like the salary cap is going anywhere, and that means the NWSL isn't in a place to reward established stars for the wages that they probably deserve," says Watkins.
Comparing the US league to European dynasties like Chelsea, Lyon, and Barcelona, Watkins explains, "That is not what the NWSL is built for. It's not really what the NWSL wants."
Instead, argues Watkins, the NWSL rewards "teams that build in a different way," by scouting less recognized talent and "building them up into All-Stars" — a "bottom-up" method that creates the league's most successful teams.
It's a lesson that Gotham is learning with the equitable success the club is experiencing this season, despite losing a significant amount of big-name talent from their 2024 superteam in the offseason.
"They haven't really stumbled in the wake of these departures, proving my point," remarks Watkins.
Ultimately, "the NWSL has decided that they don't really want the Gothams of the world," argues Watkins.
"They don't want roster stashing or this top-down talent that can really bulldoze a league. That is the opposite of what the NWSL is selling. And I think that's both cool and a little bit of a harder road sometimes."
About 'The Late Sub' with Claire Watkins
The Late Sub with Claire Watkins brings you the latest news and freshest takes on the USWNT, NWSL, and all things women's soccer. Special guest appearances featuring the biggest names in women’s sports make TLS a must-listen for every soccer fan.
Follow Claire on X/Twitter @ScoutRipley and subscribe to the Just Women’s Sports newsletter for more.
Subscribe to The Late Sub to never miss an episode.