The 2021 WNBA regular season is in the books, meaning it’s time to recognize those in the league who stood out above the rest.

In a 12-team league where roster spots are limited and individual talent becomes more concentrated every year, this exercise requires much observation and in-depth analysis.

Just Women’s Sports’ Lyndsey D’Arcangelo, Rachel Galligan and Hannah Withiam took on the challenge, making their picks and arguments for the WNBA’s end-of-season individual and team awards. What follows are our consensus picks for each major award as well as our individual choices and justifications.

Most Valuable Player

Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun

Lyndsey: Jonquel Jones

With an average of 19.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, Jonquel Jones has been the most consistent and productive MVP candidate all season long. Yes, Brittney Griner has come on strong since the Olympic break and is averaging more points than Jones, but the way in which Jones impacts the game on both sides of the ball cannot be overstated. She leads the league with 7.3 win shares and 3.0 defensive win shares. Jones has had just one game this season where she scored fewer than 10 points (eight) and didn’t have a steal or a block, and she still managed to grab 10 rebounds. That’s MVP-level play.

Rachel: Jonquel Jones

No matter which way you slice it, from team success to individual skill to production, the WNBA MVP race comes back to Jones. The Sun forward finished the regular season with 18 double-doubles while averaging a league-leading 11.2 rebounds per game. She also shot 51.5 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from the 3-point line. Jones has evolved into a player capable of scoring in so many ways (she competed against guard Allie Quigley in the 3-Point Contest, after all), and she’s as dominant on the offensive end as she is on defense. Jones’ impact became even more obvious when she missed five games in June to compete in FIBA EuroBasket and the Sun went 2-3. There are cases to be made for Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Brittney Griner and Sylvia Fowles, but Jones finished a head above the rest.

Hannah: Jonquel Jones

In some years when the race comes down to multiple players who are valuable to their teams, you have to make the difficult choice between the best player in the league and the best player on the best team (see: A’ja Wilson versus Breanna Stewart in 2020). Jonquel Jones makes it easy this season because she carries both titles. The Sun haven’t lost a regular season game since July 3, riding a 14-game win streak to the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Jones is the biggest reason why, using her power to dominate opponents on the boards, her footwork to beat players off the dribble and her shooting stroke to hit more 3-pointers on more attempts than she has in any other season in her career.

Rookie of the Year

Michaela Onyenwere, New York Liberty

Lyndsey: Michaela Onyenwere

It wasn’t much of a competition stat-wise among rookies in the 2021 class. Onyewere landed in the right system, with the right coach and the right team, and she made the most of the opportunity. She won WNBA Rookie of the Month in June, July, August and September. That’s really all that needs to be said.

Rachel: Michaela Onyenwere

This was a no-brainer. Onyenwere was drafted into a situation in New York where the Liberty needed her to come in and compete right away. What impressed me the most about Onyenwere, outside of the efficient numbers and 12 double-digit scoring outings, was how comfortable she appeared on the court and how seamlessly she fit into the league. New York turned the ball over a league-worst 16.9 times per game this season, but Onyenwere has been one of the best ball handlers on the team while playing over 20 minutes per game.

Hannah: Michaela Onyenwere

The Rookie of the Year race wasn’t much of a competition this year. Only five first-year players averaged more than 10 minutes per game. Onyenwere led all rookies in minutes, points, rebounds and blocks per game, starting 29 of 32 for the Liberty. Onyenwere and her head coach, Walt Hopkins, both spoke last week about the improvements she’s made in matching the physicality of WNBA opponents and finishing through contact. The sixth overall pick was a steal on draft day and should be a strong contributor for years to come.

Coach of the Year

Curt Miller, Connecticut Sun

Lyndsey: Cheryl Reeve

The Minnesota Lynx started off the season 0-4. Reeve was without her first-round draft pick, Rennia Davis, who suffered a leg injury in training camp. Free agent pickups Natalie Achonwa and Aerial Powers also went down with injuries early in the season. And Napheesa Collier didn’t join the team until three games in. The Lynx were out of sync and looking for answers until Reeve brought in Layshia Clarendon as a veteran presence to run the offense, and Sylvia Fowles took her game to another level defensively. Minnesota went on an eight-game winning streak and moved up steadily in the standings along the way.

Now, the Lynx (22-10) head into the playoffs as the No. 3 seed. They finished the regular season fourth in points scored per game with 82.7 and third in points allowed with 78.7. Reeve took the cards she was dealt and turned them into a winning hand with coaching savvy and smart roster moves. That deserves to be acknowledged.

Rachel: Curt Miller

Curt Miller made a decision before this 2021 season to keep his commitment to Alyssa Thomas and not suspend her contract in order to clear cap space while she recovered from an Achilles injury. As a result, the Sun rostered just 10 players for 95 percent of the season. Nearly every player on the team has improved and bought into what Miller and his staff have asked of them, most notably Natisha Hiedeman and Brionna Jones. Their defense is the best in the league, speaking to both the high standards Miller has set and the players’ ability to put the team above themselves. It’s no wonder they set a new franchise win-streak record at 14. Their defense gives them a legitimate chance to win a championship regardless of offensive struggles. That’s thanks to what Miller has built in Connecticut.

Hannah: Curt Miller

Few predicted the Sun to finish the year in the top five, let alone go 26-6 to earn the No. 1 seed outright. They were coming off a season in which they went 10-12 and rode Alyssa Thomas’ hot hand to the semifinals. This year, they were without Thomas, their leading rebounder and second-leading scorer in 2020, and with Jonquel Jones and DeWanna Bonner teaming up for the first time since Jones sat out of the bubble season. Beyond their starting five, third-year guard Natisha Hiedeman had the most WNBA experience. Miller hit all the right notes to beat those odds, empowering Hiedeman and Brionna Jones to play the best basketball of their careers, setting Jonquel Jones up for greatness and guiding the best defensive team in the league to the best record in the league. That’s a Coach of the Year in my book.

Defensive Player of the Year

Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx

Lyndsey: Sylvia Fowles

If you look at the season stats as well as advanced stats on defense, Sylvia Fowles finished in the top three of almost every category. She’s tied for first in steals with 1.8, second in blocks with 1.8, third in defensive rebounds with eight, second in defensive player rating at 88.3 and tied for second in defensive win shares with 2.7. In her 14th season in the league, her ability to wear down opponents, force them into bad shots and dominate the paint is incredible. Her defensive play is a big reason Minnesota has been able to turn its season around and contend for yet another championship.

Rachel: Jonquel Jones

This was a tough decision between Sylvia Fowles and Jonquel Jones, who are the anchors of their respective teams’ defenses. Connecticut has been a powerhouse as the best defensive team in the league with the best defensive rating. The Sun’s ability to limit points in the paint is largely due to the rim protection, versatility and rebounding capabilities of Jones. The forward’s 11.2 rebounds per game leads the league, and the Sun would not be as successful as they have been defensively without her.

Hannah: Sylvia Fowles

Jonquel Jones has a strong case for this award as the most productive defensive player on the WNBA’s best defensive team. Sylvia Fowles, however, has helped turn the Lynx’s defense into a force without as much help around her. Fowles leads the team with 10.1 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game. The next closest player is Napheesa Collier with 6.6 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. Fowles is the main reason Minnesota allowed a third-best 78.7 points per game during the regular season and a fourth-best 32.8 points in the paint per game, guiding the Lynx to the No. 3 seed in the playoffs.

Sixth Woman of the Year

Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas Aces

Lyndsey: Kelsey Plum

The Sixth Woman of the Year Award could have easily gone to Dearica Hamby, again. Her numbers off the bench are consistently strong and she makes an immediate impact on the game whenever she steps on the court. But her teammate, Kelsey Plum, has been just as valuable if not more, especially during the second half of the season. Plum is averaging 14.8 points off the bench and is in the top 20 in the league in assists with 3.6 per game. Her game has evolved and her 3×3 gold-medal win with Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics has clearly boosted her confidence. Plum is also an asset in late-game situations, shooting 94.4 percent from the free-throw line, which is second in the WNBA.

Rachel: Kelsey Plum

Kelsey Plum made a major leap this season in her confidence and edge on the court, especially as the season went on. While sitting out in 2020 to recover from an Achilles injury, Plum worked on her mental game, studied and elevated her professional career to new heights. Her numbers speak for themself: She’s averaging a career-high 14.8 points per game, shooting high percentages, hunting opportunities to score and being more aggressive offensively. Despite missing part of the season with USA Basketball, Plum has come on late, averaging 21.7 points per game in September. Anyone who has followed Plum’s career since college knows she has the ability to take over games, and that identity is shining through in her fifth WNBA season.

Hannah: Kelsey Plum

It says something about the Aces that the two runaway candidates for this award both come off their bench. While Dearica Hamby, the two-time winner of this award, was as consistent as ever this season, Kelsey Plum helped change games for the second-place Aces with her shooting and playmaking. The guard finished second on the team with 38.6 percent shooting from the 3-point line, just behind deep-ball specialist Riquna Williams, and second with 3.6 assists per game, trailing only Chelsea Gray, who’s one of the best distributors in the league. Plum cemented her case for the award by closing out the season with seven straight double-digit scoring performances.

Most Improved Player

Brionna Jones, Connecticut Sun

Lyndsey: Brionna Jones

Brionna Jones was already trending upwards last season, when she made the leap from averaging 8.4 minutes per game in 2019 to 26.1 minutes and 11.2 points per game in 2020. The increase in her minutes was due in part to Jonquel Jones opting out of the bubble. And even though Jonquel is back in the lineup this season, Jones has continued to improve at every level. She’s averaging 30.6 minutes, 14.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and has become one of the most efficient players in the league with 6.5 win shares (third overall) and a 22.2 player efficiency rating (eighth). If Jones is on a different team, those numbers are good enough to put her in the MVP conversation.

Rachel: Brionna Jones

Besides the Connecticut Sun staff, who expected Brionna Jones to be having this dominant of a season? Playing alongside Jonquel Jones, she’s seized the opportunity and solidified herself as one of the most consistent bigs in the league. Jones’ efficiency has been most impressive, with her improving from averaging just 3.5 points per game in 2019 to 14.7 in 2021. Her field-goal percentage of 57.1 ranks fourth in the league, and her average points, rebounds, free-throw percentage, assists and minutes have all improved this year.

Hannah: Brionna Jones

In the end, these awards races didn’t present much competition, and the battle for Most Improved wasn’t any different. Brionna Jones didn’t play more than 10 minutes per game in each of her first three seasons with the Sun from 2017-19. Now on the best team in the league, with the most representatives on JWS’ All-WNBA Teams, Jones took another massive leap this season and separated herself as not only the most improved player but also one of the most valuable. Third in win shares, Jones finished the season ahead of Sylvia Fowles, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and teammate DeWanna Bonner in that category.

WNBA First Team

Jonquel Jones F
Breanna Stewart F
Brittney Griner C
Skylar Diggins-Smith G
Jewell Loyd G

The official WNBA ballot requires voters to select two forwards, one center and two guards to the All-WNBA teams. As play in the league has become more positionless over the years, this requirement often means some of the best players get boxed out due to positional conflicts, especially this season when bigs dominated with their versatility. It also leaves room for technicalities, such as Tina Charles being listed as a forward on the Mystics’ starting lineup releases but as a center on every other official roster and box score. With all that said, this is our best attempt at selecting the players most deserving of recognition while meeting the requirement.

Lyndsey: Jonquel Jones F, Breanna Stewart F, Brittney Griner C, Skylar Diggins-Smith G, Jewell Loyd G

Rachel: Jonquel Jones F, Breanna Stewart F, Sylvia Fowles C, Skylar Diggins-Smith G, Jewell Loyd G

Hannah: Jonquel Jones F, Breanna Stewart F, Brittney Griner C, Skylar Diggins-Smith G, Jewell Loyd G

WNBA Second Team

A’ja Wilson F
Brionna Jones F
Sylvia Fowles C
DeWanna Bonner G
Courtney Vandersloot G

Lyndsey: A’ja Wilson F, Brionna Jones F, Sylvia Fowles C, DeWanna Bonner G, Courtney Vandersloot G

Rachel: A’ja Wilson F, Brionna Jones F, Brittney Griner C, DeWanna Bonner G, Arike Ogunbowale G

Hannah: A’ja Wilson F, Tina Charles F, Sylvia Fowles C, DeWanna Bonner G, Courtney Vandersloot G

All-Rookie Team

Michaela Onyenwere F
DiDi Richards F
Charli Collier C
Aari McDonald G
Dana Evans G

Lyndsey: Michaela Onyenwere F, DiDi Richards F, Bernadett Hatar C, Aari McDonald G, Destiny Slocum G

Rachel: Michaela Onyenwere F, DiDi Richards F, Charli Collier C, Aari McDonald G, Dana Evans G

Hannah: Michaela Onyenwere F, DiDi Richards F, Charli Collier C, Aari McDonald G, Dana Evans G

All-Defensive Team

Breanna Stewart F
Jonquel Jones F
Sylvia Fowles C
Brittney Sykes G
DeWanna Bonner G

Lyndsey: Breanna Stewart F, Jonquel Jones F, Sylvia Fowles C, Brittney Sykes G, DeWanna Bonner G

Rachel: Breanna Stewart F, Jonquel Jones F, Sylvia Fowles C, Brittney Sykes G, Briann January G

Hannah: Jonquel Jones F, Breanna Stewart F, Sylvia Fowles C, Brittney Sykes G, DeWanna Bonner G

Teen tennis star Mirra Andreeva is on a roll, upsetting world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Sunday's final of the 2025 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and launching five spots to No. 6 in the WTA rankings as a result.

Sabalenka entered Sunday's match having not dropped a single set all tournament, then started the final strong with a 6-2 first-set victory.

The three-time Grand Slam winner's advantage didn't last past the first break, however, as Sabalenka's 17-year-old opponent came back roaring back to finish off the match 6-4, 6-3.

"In the second set, I tried to play a little bit more aggressive," Andreeva said after the match. "I didn’t try to overhit her, because I don’t think anyone can overhit Aryna, because she’s super powerful player."

"I tried to really create something to make her uncomfortable, and point by point, game by game, I managed to do that."

WTA Tour-leading Andreeva still hunting first Slam title

With Sunday's win, Andreeva became the youngest Indian Wells champion since then-17-year-old Serena Williams defeated Steffi Graf to win the tournament in 1999.

Even more, Andreeva did so in dominant fashion, ousting top players like No. 22 Elina Svitolina, No. 8 Elena Rybakina, and even the contest's defending champion, No. 2 Iga Świątek, to advance to the championship match.

By defeating both Sabalenka and five-time major champion Świątek, Andreeva added her name next to Williams' in another line of the tennis history book, becoming the first player under 18-years-old to defeat the world Nos. 1 and 2 at the same WTA tournament since the US legend did so at the 1999 US Open.

Perhaps most impressively, Andreeva now sits atop all other players on tour with a 19-3 record on the season, after adding Sunday's Indian Wells trophy to last month's 2025 Dubai Championships title.

That said, Andreeva's current hot streak isn't just a warning to her opponents on tour — it's a signal that the teen could be on the precipice of lifting her first-ever Grand Slam trophy, as her chances of reaching the sport's apex skyrocket with every top-ranked victory.

The first-ever Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball semifinals took an unexpected turn on Sunday, as No. 4-seed Vinyl BC shocked the league by knocking freshly crowned 2025 MVP Napheesa Collier’s No. 1-seed Lunar Owls out of the competition in a 73-70 nail-biter.

The Lunar Owls dropped just one game all season prior to Sunday’s loss, entering the postseason as the clear favorite to win it all — including the $50,000-per-player championship purse.

On the other hand, the Vinyl narrowly qualified for the inaugural league's playoffs, and trailed the Lunar Owls for much of Sunday's game.

Entering the fourth quarter with a 10-point deficit, the Vinyl raced past the Lunar Owls, sinking 21 more points to stun their decorated opponents and earn a spot in Monday's final.

"We've been counted out this entire season," said Vinyl forward Dearica Hamby after delivering game-winning bucket. "We consider ourselves underdogs, but that didn’t show in our locker room. We never stopped believing in ourselves."

Monday's championship game will pit the Vinyl against late-season dark horse Rose BC, after the short-staffed No. 2 seed overcame a double-digit first-half deficit to earn a 63-57 semifinal win over the No. 3-seed Laces.

With Unrivaled Defensive Player of the Year Angel Reese joining Kahleah Copper on the injured end of the Rose bench, guard Chelsea Gray took charge in their absence, polishing off a single-game league-record 39 points with the game-winning three-pointer.

All in all, while Unrivaled co-founder Collier has been the standout all season, that fact that her Lunar Owls will now watch Monday's final from the sidelines only speaks to the league’s wider success.

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How to watch the Unrivaled 3×3 championship game

Unrivaled 3×3 Basketball will crown its first-ever champion on Monday, after the No. 4 Vinyl contend against the No. 2 Rose in the offseason league's inaugural title game.

The action will tip off at 7:30 PM ET, with live coverage on TNT.

The NWSL kicked off its 13th season this past weekend, and last year’s top teams picked up right where they left off, with the Orlando Pride, Washington Spirit, and Kansas City Current all starting 2025 play with big wins.

One week after a penalty shootout caused the Pride to drop the 2025 Challenge Cup, Orlando reminded fans why they're the reigning league champions and NWSL Shield-winners by handing the Chicago Stars a 6-0 drubbing on Friday.

The statement win is the league's largest-ever margin of victory in a season opener, and star striker Barbra Banda's late brace delivered the Stars their worst loss in franchise history — leaving Chicago as the only team failing to score across the NWSL's seven-match kick-off weekend.

As for the Challenge Cup champion Spirit, Washington held on against a new-look Houston to earn the 2-1 Friday victory.

Despite the loss, the Dash impressed in the opener, keeping a tight scoreline against the 2024 runners-up after finishing last season at the bottom of the NWSL table.

Saturday's action proved that Kansas City’s ability to find the back of the net hasn’t faltered, with 2024 MVP Temwa Chawinga scoring in the second minute of the Current's 3-1 win over the injury-stricken Portland Thorns.

Draws dominate the rest of the 2025 NWSL kick-off

The rest of the weekend’s fixtures weren’t as lopsided, with each of the remaining four matches finishing in 1-1 draws.

Gotham FC is likely the middle-pack’s most aggrieved team, after VAR confirmed defender Mandy Freeman’s controversial red card in the 86th minute of the 2024 semifinalists' Saturday matchup against the Seattle Reign.

At the same time, the NJ/NY club made league history during the draw, subbing in 14-year-old Mak Whitham in the game's waning stoppage-time minutes — making the forward the youngest player to ever appear in an NWSL regular-season match.

Thanks to those mostly uniform results, Orlando now sits atop the NWSL table with their superior goal differential, with Kansas City and Washington in close pursuit.

While momentum always shifts in the parity-rich NWSL, this season’s opening slate proved that 2024’s biggest success stories remain the teams to beat.

The 2024/25 NCAA basketball tournament bracket is officially locked in, as Selection Sunday saw March Madness favorites, underdogs, and a few surprises claim their tickets to the Big Dance.

After winning the Big Ten tournament one week prior, UCLA not only earned the NCAA competition's overall top spot, but the Bruins claimed their first-ever No. 1 seed in program history.

Sitting atop the three other quadrants are SEC tournament title-winners and NCAA defending champions South Carolina as well as conference runners-up Texas and USC, giving both the SEC and Big Ten two of the tournament's top contenders.

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Chasing the four top teams as No. 2 seeds are Big 12 tournament champs TCU, ACC tournament winners Duke, ACC runners-up NC State, and Big East champions UConn, whose late-season momentum wasn't quite enough to life the Huskies above a second-spot bid.

In a season that saw a record-tying four teams reach No. 1 in the AP Poll, three (UCLA, South Carolina, and Texas) claimed NCAA No. 1 seeds, with once-No. 1 ranked Notre Dame falling out of top-seed contention after losing three of their last five games.

The Irish will now tip off their March Madness campaign as a No. 3 seed alongside 2022/23 NCAA champs LSU, North Carolina, and Oklahoma.

Snagging the tournament's last hosting spots are the No. 4 seeds, meaning Ohio State, Kentucky, Baylor, and Maryland will all have home-court advantage through the competition’s first two rounds.

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Coaches question NCAA committee's seeding decisions

While some teams were thrilled with their placements, a tinge of disappointment overshadowed other top contenders’ watch parties.

"I never thought I'd be a No. 1 seed and feel disrespected," said USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb after learning the NCAA committee awarded the Trojans the last top seed, ranking them fourth overall.

"It's not an arrogance of any kind, I think that there's a lot of really good teams...but I would love to ask [this committee] some questions."

Head coach Dawn Staley had a similar reaction to South Carolina's positioning, saying "I'm a little bit surprised."

"I'd like to get some feedback on how they came to that conclusion," said Staley. "We put together, manufactured, a schedule that — if done right — should produce the overall No. 1 seed."

The NCAA committee broke down their determination of the Gamecocks on ESPN, explaining that South Carolina’s head-to-head November loss to UCLA plus last month's 29-point nonconference defeat at the hands of UConn played major roles in the decision.

Despite the disappointment, Gottlieb says her team is ready to take care of business.

"You've gotta play the first game in front of you and earn your way from there, and that's what we'll do."

Big Ten makes NCAA March Madness bracket history

With 12 teams booking spots in the Big Dance, the Big Ten not only earned the season’s most NCAA tournament bids, it also smashed the Division I record for the most programs in a single conference to make a March Madness bracket.

With a conference-record 10 teams, the SEC closely followed the Big Ten, while eight ACC squads and seven Big 12 programs round out the Power Four's 37 total berths.

Also experiencing a record-setting Selection Sunday was the Ivy League, which saw three teams sneak into the competition for the first time in the eight-program conference's history.

After upsetting their way through last weekend's conference competition, Ivy League tournament champions Harvard secured a No. 10 seed on Sunday, while both Columbia and Princeton have a shot at snagging a No. 11 seed as contenders in the NCAA's First Four games.

Dancing for the first time are six teams, with Arkansas State, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Mason, Grand Canyon, UC San Diego, and William & Mary all set to make their NCAA tournament debuts later this week.

To be the best, teams must beat the best, and the talent concentrated at the top of the NCAA bracket — regardless of seeding — is guaranteed to make for some tough competition.

How to watch the First Four March Madness games

While the the official first round of the 2024/25 NCAA basketball tournament doesn't begin until Friday, the March Madness action will tip off with the First Four round on Wednesday, when eight teams will battle for the final four spots in the 64-team bracket.

Stepping into Wednesday's spotlight are Princeton and Iowa State, who will take the court at 7 PM ET before UC San Diego takes on Southern at 9 PM ET.

Then on Thursday, Washington will face Columbia at 7 PM ET, with William & Mary's match against High Point wrapping up the First Four round at 9 PM ET.

The Huskies' Thursday clash with the Lions will air live on ESPN2, with the other three First Four games earning live coverage on ESPNU.

Print complete NCAA Women's March Madness bracket