Jul 14, 2025, 09:00 AM ET

Every season brings new talent to the WNBA. This year also brought a new team. And for the first time, a member of the expansion Golden State Valkyries made ESPN's ranking of the top 25 players in the league.

As the WNBA All-Star break nears, ESPN's midseason rankings are based on how players are performing this season, not on their career accomplishments. So some notable names who are typically in these rankings aren't on the list now.

New players coming into the WNBA are making names for themselves, while others are getting opportunities in new places to expand their games. Injuries always impact our rankings, too; players who haven't competed in at least half of their teams' games were ineligible, which includes the New York Liberty's Jonquel Jones and Phoenix Mercury's Kahleah Copper.

And while we didn't consider rookies for the preseason list, they are also in the mix now. ESPN's Kendra Andrews, Kevin Pelton, Alexa Philippou and Michael Voepel rank the WNBA's best players so far in 2025.

1. Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

Forward | 6-foot-1 Preseason ranking: 2 2025 stats: 23.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.4 APG

For the first time, Collier tops our rankings after submitting a first half that has her in pole position for MVP. Collier leads the WNBA in scoring by more than three points per game and is a leading contender to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year, averaging a combined 3.2 steals and blocks per game. After finishing runner-up for MVP to A'ja Wilson and losing a WNBA Finals series that went the distance, Collier has established herself as the league's best player and the Lynx as the league's best team. -- Kevin Pelton

2. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

Center | 6-foot-4 Preseason ranking: 1 2025 stats: 21.5 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.4 BPG

No game could better sum up the three-time MVP's superstar status than Saturday's victory over Golden State. She had left Tuesday's game vs. New York because of a wrist injury and then missed Thursday vs. Washington, both losses. She returned with 34 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks to help the Aces beat the Valkyries 104-102. It was the big performance the up-and-down Aces had to have. Because she does it so often doesn't mean we should take it for granted. -- Michael Voepel

3. Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury

Forward | 6-foot-2 Preseason ranking: 5 2025 stats: 15.3 PPG, 9.5 APG, 7.5 RPG

Thomas is flourishing more than ever in Phoenix coach Nate Tibbetts' system, where she's given loads of space to operate and is surrounded by shooters. The result? A dazzling year for the Terps legend who is leading the league in assists while shooting a career-best 53.8% from the field. The Mercury average more 3-point makes per game than any other team, boast the third-best defensive rating and have been one of the WNBA's most pleasant surprises -- and it's in large part due to Thomas' brilliance. -- Alexa Philippou

4. Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty

Forward | 6-foot-4 Preseason ranking: 3 2025 stats: 19.5 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3.8 APG

Especially with Jonquel Jones being out for 11 games, Stewart's consistency is the foundation New York relies upon. She has scored in double figures in all but one game this season. Her shooting percentage from beyond the arc (21.0%) could be better. But she is shooting 53.6% from 2-point range and ranks in the top five in the league in win shares. If the Liberty repeat their title this season, Stewart will be a big reason. -- Voepel

5. Sabrina Ionescu, New York Liberty

Guard | 5-foot-11 Preseason ranking: 7 2025 stats: 19.4 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.6 RPG

Averaging a career-high 19.4 points per game, Ionescu is showing how her offense can take over a game when needed. She recorded back-to-back 34-point games last month, went 7-for-7 from the free throw line in the final three minutes to secure a Liberty win over Golden State and, after a tough road trip, posted three 20-point games last week. As the Liberty have navigated an injury-riddled season, Ionescu's intensity and efficiency have been important to keeping New York on track. -- Kendra Andrews

6. Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream

Guard | 6-foot Preseason ranking: 23 2025 stats: 19.4 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 42% 3FG

Playing for new head coach Karl Smesko has brought out the best in Gray, deservedly a first-time All-Star starter after making it as a reserve the past two seasons. She is averaging career highs in scoring, rebounding and assists (4.0 per game). With Smesko surely encouraging her to let it fly, Gray is attempting a career-high 46% of her shots from long distance while also averaging as many free throws per game (5.4) as ever before. If Gray keeps it up, she should make an All-WNBA team for the first time. -- Pelton

7. Satou Sabally, Phoenix Mercury

Forward | 6-foot-4 Preseason ranking: 12 2025 stats: 19.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.4 SPG

Coming off a 2024 season in which she played just 15 games after offseason shoulder surgery, Sabally is putting up some of the best numbers of her career. In her first season with the Mercury, Sabally is a top-10 scorer who has recorded 10 20-point games. Pairing her alongside Alyssa Thomas has been a winning combination for Phoenix and helped Sabally get back to the level of play people have come to expect from her. -- Andrews

8. Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever

Forward/center | 6-foot-5 Preseason ranking: 21 2025 stats: 16.2 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.1 BPG

Boston's role with the Fever has never been more important as Indiana navigated playing without Clark for nine games. Boston delivered. She entered the season as an elite defender, but her game has become more well-rounded. She is averaging a career-high 16.2 points on 58.1% shooting to go with a career-best 3.7 assists. Last month, she scored a career-high 31 points in a win at Seattle. -- Andrews

9. Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Guard | 6-foot Preseason ranking: 4 2025 stats: 16.7 PPG, 9.0 APG, 4.8 RPG

Clark is a difficult player to assess given her lack of availability due to injury -- she has appeared in 12 games, sitting out two stretches of five games. Though she is currently amid a shooting slump (13-for-41 from the field and 5-for-19 from 3 since returning from her latest injury), she has shined with her playmaking. She has 19 assists over her past two games, including the 17th 10-assist game of her career Sunday -- her first with no more than two turnovers. -- Philippou

10. Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle Storm

Forward | 6-foot-2 Preseason ranking: 8 2025 stats: 17.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 52% FG

Quietly, Ogwumike keeps steadily climbing the WNBA's all-time leaderboards. She's now seventh in points and eighth in rebounds, and this season's All-Star appearance will be Ogwumike's 10th, tied for third most in league history. At 35, Ogwumike shows no sign of slowing up. She's surpassing her career averages in both points and rebounds. Ogwumike remains one of the league's most efficient scorers. Her 52% shooting is best of any player who has attempted at least 100 shots and at least 50 3-pointers. -- Pelton

11. Skylar Diggins, Seattle Storm

Guard | 5-foot-9 Preseason ranking: 18 2025 stats: 18.2 PPG, 5.9 APG, 40.5% 3FG

The driving force behind a Storm offense that ranks sixth in per-possession scoring after trading leading scorer Jewell Loyd, Diggins has been dangerous 3-point threat to go with her playmaking. Diggins is shooting 39% on 3s, up from 29% in 2024, and making 1.6 per game. Per GeniusIQ, just two ball handlers who have used at least 250 screens have surpassed Diggins' 1.01 points per direct chance: Caitlin Clark and Courtney Williams. And only Williams has run more pick-and-rolls. -- Pelton

12. Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks

Guard | 5-foot-8 Preseason ranking: 10 2025 stats: 19.9 PPG, 5.9 APG, 1.4 SPG

When Plum arrived in Los Angeles, the Sparks hoped she would help remedy their offensive problems from a year ago. While the team has struggled, Plum has filled that role, leading the Sparks in scoring, assists and minutes. Her 19.9 points per game are the most she has averaged since 2022 (20.2), when she finished third in MVP voting, and rank third in the league this season. -- Andrews

13. Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings

Guard | 6-foot Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 18.3 PPG, 45.6% FG, 5.4 APG

Winning has been tough to come by in Dallas, but Bueckers has been stellar in her debut season as an All-Star and the clear favorite for rookie of the year. She ranks top 10 in scoring and is one of three players to average at least 18 points and five assists per game. In just 17 contests, she has had eight games with 15-plus points and five-plus assists, already tied for third most all time by any rookie. -- Philippou

14. Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces

Guard | 6-foot Preseason ranking: 9 2025 stats: 17.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.9 APG

It has been a frustratingly inconsistent season for the Aces, but that's not the case with the stoic, business-like play of Young. She always stays even-keel, which Las Vegas depends on. While her 3-point percentage (30.3%) has dropped, she's shooting 52% from 2-point range and 90.5% from the free throw line. She scored 30 points Saturday in the Aces' win over Golden State. -- Voepel

15. Kelsey Mitchell, Indiana Fever

Guard | 5-foot-8 Preseason ranking: 13 2025 stats: 19.2 PPG, 45.9% FG, 37.3% 3FG

Mitchell, an All-Star in each of the past three years, has found her shooting form as the season has progressed. She boasts seven 20-point performances in her past nine games after recording three such performances in her first 12. Her offensive production -- 19.2 points per game matches her career-best scoring average from last year -- has been even more crucial for Indiana with Clark in and out of the lineup and still working back from injury. -- Philippou

16. Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream

Guard | 6-foot-2 Preseason ranking: 20 2025 stats: 16.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.5 APG

New Dream coach Karl Smesko's offense fits multidimensional scorer Howard well. She has most improved her passing this season, averaging a career high in assists. Howard missed Sunday's game at New York after injuring her knee in Friday's game at Indiana. We will see whether she can play Wednesday at Chicago and then in Saturday's All-Star Game, for which she was chosen as a reserve. -- Voepel

17. Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx

Guard | 5-foot-11 Preseason ranking: 15 2025 stats: 13.9 PPG, 37.9% 3FG, 3.1 APG

McBride wasn't named an All-Star -- many considered her a snub, her current shooting slump notwithstanding -- but the Lynx know how integral she is to their success. The elite two-way guard knocks down 38% of her 3-pointers. There's no doubt that for Minnesota to bring home its fifth championship later this fall, it can't rely on only Napheesa Collier. It will also need veteran leader McBride to be at her best. -- Philippou

18. Angel Reese, Chicago Sky

Forward | 6-foot-3 Preseason ranking: 25 2025 stats: 13.6 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 1.6 BPG

Reese has made a sizeable jump up this list since our preseason rankings. She is on a hot streak, recording eight straight double-doubles including a 22-point, 15-rebound game against the Washington Mystics earlier this month. Once again, she is leading the league in rebounds (12.8 per game), but she has also shown improvement in her facilitating, averaging 3.8 assists (she averaged 1.8 last year). If Reese keeps up this level of play, she could continue to rise in these rankings. -- Andrews

19. Dearica Hamby, Los Angeles Sparks

Forward | 6-foot-3 Preseason ranking: 22 2025 stats: 16.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.7 APG

The Sparks haven't had back-to-back victories yet this season. If they had a little more consistency, Hamby might have been an All-Star for the fourth time. As it is, she is playing at a high level again. And if the Sparks can improve in the second half, Hamby will be one of the reasons. -- Voepel

20. Gabby Williams, Seattle Storm

Forward | 5-foot-11 Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 14.0 PPG, 4.5 APG, 2.6 SPG

Having Williams in training camp from the start has paid off for both her and the Storm. Long a force in EuroLeague and with the French national team, Williams has translated that to the WNBA, earning her first All-Star appearance. Williams is the only player averaging better than 2 steals per game, putting her in the mix for Defensive Player of the Year. The versatile Williams has recorded point-rebound and point-assist double-doubles, and her scoring average is easily a career high. -- Pelton

21. Brionna Jones, Atlanta Dream

Forward | 6-foot-3 Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 13.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.4 APG

Another player who could have easily been an All-Star, Jones has brought to Atlanta her trademark subdued excellence on the interior. While there might have been initial questions about how she'd fit in coach Karl Smesko's system, she has thrived -- and is even starting to launch more 3s. She is one of four players with at least eight double-doubles, alongside Reese, Boston and Thomas, while her 51.7% shooting makes her one of the WNBA's most efficient players. -- Philippou

22. Brittney Sykes, Washington Mystics

Guard | 5-foot-9 Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 17.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.5 APG

Sykes leads the Mystics in scoring and assists but is not an All-Star, although her two rookie teammates Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen are. She has been a good teammate and supportive of them, but look for that snub to fuel a strong season. She has been a driving force in leading the Mystics to an 11-10 record, which is much better than what most were projecting. -- Voepel

23. Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics

Guard | 6-foot-1 Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 14.3 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 88% FT

Citron and teammate Kiki Iriafen are the first pair of rookie All-Stars directly out of college in WNBA history. Although Iriafen was the early standout, Citron's production has remained more consistent over time. The No. 3 pick has immediately been one of the league's most efficient scorers, posting an effective field goal percentage of 53% after factoring in 3-pointers while also shooting nearly 90% at the charity stripe. -- Pelton

24. Kayla Thornton, Golden State Valkyries

Forward | 6-foot-1 Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 14.8 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.5 SPG

Thornton and the Valkyries have been one of the best surprises in sports. The Valkyries are in the playoff hunt, and Thornton is having the best year of her career, earning her first All-Star selection. If more opportunity is what Thornton needed to have a breakout year, getting selected by Golden State in the expansion draft was the best thing that could have happened to her. Thornton has established herself as the team's go-to offensive option while also defending the opponents' top scorers. If the Valkyries keep finding success, Thornton will stay on this list for the rest of the season. -- Andrews

25. Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx

Guard | 5-foot-8 Preseason ranking: Unranked 2025 stats: 14.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.0 APG

Williams is one of the motors for the first-place Lynx, and they need her at both ends of the court. She is their second-leading scorer and ranks first on the team in assists, plus her defense is crucial. Williams also does a good job rebounding from the guard position, and that can help push Minnesota's offense. -- Voepel