BY: Ashley Blackwell
Published 5 months ago
Women rule the world… on and off the court. So, let’s take a moment to recognize the top 10 WNBA players 2024 had on everyone’s radar.
For decades, sports have earned the male-dominated career field tag. From the NFL’s highest-paid stars to those leading the teams within MLB, men are often the face of recreational arenas. Basketball has seen a similar dynamic, with NBA phenomenons still being the most talked about in mainstream media.
However, with the growing pandemonium surrounding the WNBA, many have grown to realize how important and impactful female sports have been in the industry for quite some time. Whereas the ladies are (unfairly) stripped of their power in masculine-led rooms, they’ve proved points and changed narratives in more ways than one.
Within the past year (alone), we’ve seen these queens beating the odds and balling out for all the little girls around the globe who have only dreamed of walking in the shoes they (so effortlessly) lace… game after game.
This is a list of women who’ve singlehandedly hooped their way into the world’s hearts.
Top 10 WNBA Players 2024 Scored Wins We’ll Forever Remember
1. A’ja Wilson
28-year-old A’ja Wilson is a heralded, two-time champion of the Las Vegas Aces. The South Carolina all-star’s grind is unmatched, as her basket achievements started in her youth as a student of Columbia’s Heathwood Hall Episcopal School and continued into her collegiate years at the University of South Carolina. After being drafted first overall in 2018, the Gatorade endorsee was named ‘WNBA Rookie of the Year’ and the league’s MVP in 2020 and 2022.
Wilson, a recipient of 2022’s Defensive Player of the Year award, struck gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan and again in 2024, which took place in France. Additionally, she was recognized as one of Time Magazine’s ‘Most Influential People’ last year. The record-breaker is considered a Gen-Z great, with everything from a candle company and signature Nike collection to a spot in the sportswear brand’s 2025 Super Bowl ad rounding out her list of accomplishments.
2. Caitlin Clark
At only 23 years old, Caitlin Clark has become a household name. The Indiana Fever megastar was deemed a national player of the year twice during her time with the University of Iowa’s Hawkeyes and led them to their first championship game. She was crowned the NCAA’s Women’s Basketball All-Time Leading Scorer. Per the association’s website, “Clark is the first Division I player to top 3,000 points, 1,000 assists and 800 rebounds.”
In 2024, Indiana Fever selected the now-Nike signee first overall, where she won WNBA Rookie of the Year and reached the All-WNBA First Time and WNBA All-Star Game in her inaugural season. After a year of historic successes, by December 2024, Time Magazine named Clark Athlete of the Year, along with AP’s Female Athlete of the Year.
Because of her award-winning talent, the West Des Moines local spawned “The Caitlin Clark Effect,” a groundbreaking phenomenon outlining Clark’s massive influence.
3. Angel Reese
22-year-old Angel Reese has the ultimate come-up story. This young woman’s victory slope is impressive, from playing basketball as a hobby in her childhood to shooting for the Chicago Sky. After a stint with the University of Maryland’s Terrapins, Reese transferred to Louisiana State University to continue her pre-professional efforts.
There, she spearheaded the Tigers to the 2023 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship as their Most Outstanding Player. Due to Reese’s contributions to the team, she was soon viewed as the best on the lineup. In 2024, the Chicago Sky drafted her seventh overall. Reese is now a part of the three-on-three basketball league Unrivaled, where she debuted under the Rose Basketball Club in January 2025.
While the court may be where the former “Bayou-Chi Barbie” is most passionate, her feats proceed elsewhere, too. Along with her fashion and beauty endeavors, Reese hosts the “Unapologetically Angel” podcast and is co-owner of D.C. Power Football Club. She’s even contracted with Reese’s for an apparel line and McDonald’s for The Angel Reese Special.
4. Breanna Stewart
New York Liberty’s Breanna Stewart is a force to be reckoned with. The Syracuse breed began balling as a kid and went on to pursue her dream at the University of Connecticut. She became the first NCAA player to obtain 400 assists and block 400 shots, reportedly finishing her tenure with 2,676 career points.
Seattle Storm selected Stewart first overall in the 2016 WNBA draft. The 2020 MVP-er acquired 23 points in her introductory game, setting the foundation for the giant she is today. That same year, Stewart surpassed retired goat Lisa Leslie’s 2004 record for most defensive rebounds in a season, coming in at 277. She also won the ESPY Award for Best Female Athlete.
After maintaining her years-long superstar status with the Storm, being named one of the Top 25 players in the WNBA, and even venturing out overseas, the now 30-year-old inked a deal with New York Liberty in 2023. 2024 was Stewart’s biggest year yet, as she played pivotal in Liberty’s gold performance at the Paris Olympics and their first WNBA Championship triumph.
The mom of two is the co-founder of Unrivaled, along with fellow WNBA defeater Napheesa Collier.
5. Alyssa Thomas
Alyssa Thomas hit the ground running when she served as a teammate of the Maryland Terrapins, becoming the first person in the NCAA or WNBA to bring in over 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists for a whole season. She snagged the ACC Player of the Year title for three years straight.
Following her time at the University of Maryland, Thomas was drafted fourth overall by the New York Liberty in 2014 and (ultimately) traded to the Connecticut Sun. The Olympic gold medalist is a five-time All-Star and made the All-WNBA First Team in 2024. This past November, she joined the Laces Basketball Club under Unrivaled.
On Feb. 2, 2025, Phoenix Mercury announced they had acquired Thomas. Mercury’s general manager, Nick U’Ren, said in a statement, “Alyssa is one of the most complete players our league has ever seen. She is an elite facilitator, defensive stopper, and as fierce a competitor as they come.”
Aside from her profession, the 32-year-old is seemingly dedicated to LGBTQIA+ advocacy and presentation. She’s also in a high-profile relationship with Indiana Fever’s DeWanna Bonner.
6. Napheesa Collier
Napheesa Collier has already made major moves on the WNBA front. The Missourian balled for the University of Connecticut, retrieving 411 rebounds in one season. In 2019, the Minnesota Lynx picked her sixth overall, and she had the second-highest rookie debut ever (with 27 points).
The 28-year-old only grew better and better, with many milestones to show for it. Per reports, she was the first WNBA-er to land (at least) 115 points, 50 rebounds, 25 or more steals + blocks, and 20 assists in a five-game stretch. The MVP is celebrated as the second-ever in the franchise to have numerous 30+point games in the postseason, totaling 38 points in the first game of the 2024 WNBA playoffs.
When she wasn’t causing good chaos on the court, Collier spent her time running the uber-success podcast “Tea with A & Phee” with co-host A’ja Wilson and forming Unrivaled with Breanna Stewart.
7. Jackie Young
Jackie Young graduated from Princeton Community High School in Princeton, Indiana, and went straight to the University of Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish. After winning an NCAA championship in 2018, the 27-year-old was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Aces in 2019.
In 2022, the league acknowledged her improvements, and she even made her first WNBA All-Star team in July of that year. Young had quite an eventful run in 2024, earning her first 5×5 gold medal at the Summer Olympics. She previously won a gold medal at the women’s 3×3 basketball tournament for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Young is also part of Unrivaled for the Laces. Since 2019, she has been in a multi-year deal with athleisure company PUMA.
8. Sabrina Ionescu
Sabrina Ionescu attended Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif., before playing for the University of Oregon, where she began in 2016 and was later named the Pac-12 Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Year. While there, she also won the Nancy Lieberman, John R. Wooden, and Wade Trophy Award for being a top-ranked women’s college basketball player in NCAA Division I.
Coined Honda Sports’ best in the nation in 2020, that same year, Ionescu was drafted first overall by the New York Liberty. The 27-year-old became the fastest in the WNBA to record a triple-double in 2021 and went on to secure many more records with the Liberty. In December 2024, Ionescu took a spot on Unrivaled’s Phantom Basketball Club.
The Olympic gold victor has been endorsed by Nike since 2020. Ionescu’s shoes, the Sabrina 1s, debuted in 2023, with her second signature pair unveiled in 2024. The three-time WNBA All-Star is the CEO of the SI20 Foundation, an organization dedicated to youth in sports.
9. Nneka Ogwumike
Nneka Ogwumike chose Stanford University after graduating from Cy-Fair High School in Harris County, Texas. Per WNBA.com, in 2008, the now 34-year-old served as a member of the USA Women’s U18 team, where she helped the collective win a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She would extend her winning streak with the USA in subsequent competitions for years to come.
In 2012, Ogwumike was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Sparks and won the WNBA Rookie of the Year title that October. In 2016, she was awarded the WNBA Most Valuable Player title, as she broke the record for most consecutive field goals and became the most efficient shooter in professional basketball. The Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award recipient signed a one-year deal with the Seattle Storm in 2024 and re-negotiated for another year in February 2025.
The nine-time WNBA All-Star is the president of the WNBPA (Women’s National Basketball Players Association), the first labor union for pro-female athletes, and a mentor for The WNBA Changemakers (VOICE IN SPORT), a sports leadership program for young girls. She’s also an Adidas partner.
10. Jonquel Jones
Jonquel Jones uprooted from The Bahamas to Maryland, where she attended Riverdale Baptist High School and was under the legal guardianship of women’s basketball coach Diane Richardson. After finishing her studies at George Washington University, she began playing for the Connecticut Sun in 2016.
In 2017, the 31-year-old became the No.13 player in the league with a 20-point, 20-rebound performance. 2021 gave her the WNBA MVP title, as she also made the WNBA All-Defensive First Team. Jones was traded to the New York Liberty in 2023 and recognized as the MVP of the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup. In 2024, she flaunted her position as WNBA Finals MVP as well.
The five-time WNBA All-Star (seemingly) spends her off-the-court time doing philanthropy work in The Bahamas. She’s also a proud Nike affiliate.
Which one of these WNBA stars is your favorite(s)? Let us know in the comments below!
