WNBA Season Resumes: The Races to Watch

After a month off so the stars of the WNBA could play in the Paris Olympics — and win another gold medal — the WNBA season resumes with three games on Thursday and three more on Friday.

There are just five weeks left in the regular season, and five weeks to see which teams will make the playoffs, who will be best set up to win a championship, and which players will emerge as top MVP and Rookie of the Year favorites.

Rookie of the Year

When we last left you, the only two real options to win Rookie of the Year, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, were teammates for the WNBA All-Star team and dreaming about 2028, when they might be Olympics teammates.

Now we are back to them being rivals who are both having great rookie seasons. In almost any other season, if only one of them was in the league, that woman would win the award. But someone is going to lose out after doing things rookies simply don’t do. The betting odds say that the loser will be Reese, even though she set a record with 15 consecutive double-doubles.

Clark is the -1800 favorite, while Reese is paying +800, and the reason Clark is on top is because she is on top of nearly every statistical category. Among rookies, she leads the league in points scored, assists, made field goals, free throw percentage, and made three-pointers.

Clark is back in action on Friday at home against the Phoenix Mercury (Indiana Fever -3), while Reese is playing the Mercury on Thursday (Chicago Sky +3).

Most Valuable Player

The only question here is if A’ja Wilson will be a unanimous winner of the MVP, and when exactly should the WNBA rename the award for her. She is the best women’s basketball player on earth, and she is paying -3000 to win her third WNBA MVP.

Consider this resume: two league MVPs, two WNBA championships, WNBA Finals MVP (2023), two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, six-time WNBA All-Star, three-time WNBA First-Team, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and MVP of the Paris Olympics.

Of course, the only thing that matters in winning that third MVP is what she is doing this year for the Las Vegas Aces, and she’s doing pretty well so far. She leads the WNBA in scoring by a lot. She’s averaging 27.2 points per game, a full four points more than anyone else. She also leads the league in rebounds and blocked shots, and she’s in the top 10 in field goal percentage and free throw percentage.

In MVP betting, you can take The Field against Wilson for +1500. But why waste your money? She will win the award and she is still only 28. This will not be her last.

WNBA Championship

The Aces have the best player, and they are seen as the best team. Along with Wilson, they have fellow gold medalists Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, and Kelsey Plum, and they are the winners of the last two championships.

But they are only paying +160 because the New York Liberty are right there at +170. They have Sabrina Ionescu, who was critical for Team USA down the stretch in the gold medal game, and Breanna Stewart, who was named a FIBA Olympic All-Star for her Paris performance. Plus, when we took the pause a month ago, the Liberty were on a four-game winning streak to run their WNBA-best record to 21-4.

If the break doesn’t break their momentum, New York may have home court advantage throughout the postseason, which will give them the edge.

The Fever and Clark are solid favorites to make the playoffs this season, paying -1200. But at +4500, Clark is going to have to wait before she wins her first championship.