2025 WNBA predictions: Champ, MVP, Coach of the Year and more

USA Today

15-05-2025

2025 WNBA predictions: Champ, MVP, Coach of the Year and more
The 2025 WNBA season is finally here, kicking off Friday with three games, including the official league debut with the newest expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, taking on the Los Angeles Sparks. That's exciting on its own, but we're here to look at the big picture ahead of the WNBA season, not the little details.
Ahead of the season, For The Win is here to help you prep for it with WNBA power rankings, veterans who could be traded and rookies who could make an immediate impact. But we've also got some season-long predictions because while we can't actually predict the future, that's never stopped us from trying.
So before the 2025 WNBA season officially begins, here are our predictions for some of the league's major awards — though this is not an exhaustive list.
WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA champion
Meghan L. Hall: Las Vegas Aces. The Liberty will make it to the WNBA Finals but won't repeat. (To be clear, I think people are severely underestimating the loss of Betnijah Laney-Hamilton for the season.) I like the Aces to get back to the WNBA Finals and win their third championship (and second against the Liberty) since 2022. I believe A'ja Wilson will make it her mission to not only get back to the finals, but pull the best out of Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray and Jewell Loyd to win another ring.
Michael Sykes: Las Vegas Aces. I think the addition of Jewell Loyd gives the Aces a bit of a scoring pop on the perimeter. A'ja Wilson will still be the best player in the game. The big question will be how the team functions defensively. I think it'll be good enough to see this team win its third title in four seasons.
Cory Woodroof: Indiana Fever. It's Caitlin Clark's world, and we're all just living in it. Expect the Fever to build on their impressive 2024 rejuvination and look even sharper with Stephanie White in as coach. The elite talent and impressive depth on this team will not be denied much longer.
Michelle R. Martinelli: Las Vegas Aces. Three out of four would be amazing and would thoroughly solidify the Aces' dynasty — plus, I have a feeling A'Ja and co. are still bitter about not even making it to the finals last year.
Blake Schuster: New York Liberty. My colleagues are sleeping on the champs! Sabrina Ionescu! Breanna Stewart Jonquel Jones! C'mon y'all, this is easy. We are in dynasty territory.
Robert Zeglinski: Minnesota Lynx. Give me the outside-the-box team (at least compared to my colleagues' answers). The Lynx were *thisclose* to winning last year's WNBA title, only to fall in a devastatingly close series at the hands of the Liberty. Maybe they don't have the horses to make another run at it, but I do think there is a redemption-from-the-pain narrative that I can't ignore.
Prince J. Grimes: New York Liberty. I just think the Liberty remain the deepest team of the league's juggernauts. Even with Betnijah Laney-Hamilton out for the year, they're getting Marine Johannès back. I think this team has at least one more elite run left in it.
Bryan Kalbrosky: New York Liberty: The strongest team in the league only got stronger, and I love the addition of Natasha Cloud and a healthy Marine Johannès. After failing to win a title until last season, they're going back-to-back in 2025.
WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Finals MVP
Meghan L. Hall: Chelsea Gray. I think people forgot Chelsea Gray won finals MVP in 2022. I fully expect her to be in peak form like she was at Unrivaled and carry that into the season. Gray has the receipts on everyone who had something to say about her last year, and she won't forget when the Finals arrive.
Michael Sykes: A'ja Wilson. She's the best player in the world. If the Aces are going to be awesome, I think she'll need to be awesome in the team's biggest moments.
Cory Woodroof: Caitlin Clark. If I'm picking the Fever to win the title, the team's undisputed engine earns the finals MVP.
Michelle R. Martinelli: A'Ja Wilson's on top, top, top. Can't take her spot, spot, spot.
Blake Schuster: Jonquel Jones. BACCCCKKKK TO BACK.
Robert Zeglinski: Napheesa Collier. If the Lynx win the title, Phee is the only logical pick for finals MVP.
Prince J. Grimes: Sabrina Ionescu. She was pretty bad in last year's finals. I could see a big bounce back this time around.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Sabrina Ionescu. If the Liberty do win a title, they'll likely get an even better performance from Sabrina Ionescu this time around. Even though it was Jonquel Jones who got the honors last year, my money is on Ionescu when this season is all said and done.
WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA regular-season MVP
Meghan L. Hall: Napheesa Collier. Welcome to the 2025 season, a.k.a the Napheesa Collier revenge tour. Collier was second in MVP voting last season, and without her at MVP-levels, the Minnesota Lynx don't move. She's going to come back for not just MVP, but she might add DPOY to list, too.
Michael Sykes: Napheesa Collier. Phee was runner-up in the league's MVP voting last season. I think she takes another step forward this year with Minnesota. I also think she'll get the Lynx back to the Finals though, obviously, they're not my pick to win it all.
Cory Woodroof: Caitlin Clark. It's bound to happen at some point, right? Sure, guards don't often win MVP in the WNBA, but Clark is generational. She's surrounded by talent to take the weight off her plate this go-around, which should make her even more impressive on the court than in her rookie season.
Michelle R. Martinelli: A'Ja Wilson. Likely options aren't abundant, but your guess is as good as mine here. But if I'm predicting Wilson will dominate in the playoffs, she'll probably do the same in the regular season. She is, arguably, the best active player in the world right now, and it seems unwise to bet against her.
Blake Schuster: Caitlin Clark. I know, I know, but listen: Do y'all remember how much better she got over the course of last season? This isn't rookie CC coming straight off a Final Four run into the W two weeks later. This is Clark fully rested and with added muscle. She can (and should) start hitting back.
Robert Zeglinski: Caitlin Clark. The woman was All-WNBA First Team in her first season. And that was on a very short turnaround from the women's college basketball season! Now she's rested, better and a little battle-tested, and so is her improved Fever supporting cast. Projecting a leap to regular-season MVP is not at all outlandish.
Prince J. Grimes: Napheesa Collier. She carries a big offensive load for the Lynx and remains one of the W's best defensive players. That two-way prowess will land her the MVP.
Bryan Kalbrosky: A'Ja Wilson. I'm surprised more people have not mentioned her name as their pick in this roundtable. She is the best player in the league, and even though Caitlin Clark is the favorite, I'm still going with Wilson until I'm proven wrong.
WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Rookie of the Year
Meghan L. Hall: Paige Bueckers. I think it's a no-brainer that Paige Bueckers will be Rookie of the Year. Bueckers' high IQ on both sides of the ball and her production will be a notch abover her draft class. Bueckers also will add WNBA All-Star and All-Rookie Team honors to her résumé. Book it.
Michael Sykes: Paige Bueckers. Not only do I think Paige is Rookie of the Year, but I also think she'll be an All-Star this season and a solid pick to make one of the All-WNBA teams.
Cory Woodroof: Paige Bueckers. Not going to overthink this one. Bueckers will help bring Dallas back to the playoffs in her first season and will be plenty deserving of this honor.
Michelle R. Martinelli: Paige Bueckers. She's been waiting for this moment for a long time, and no doubt she'll rise to the occasion and stun as a rookie.
Blake Schuster: Kiki Iriafen. I LOVE pairing her in the Mystics frontcourt with Aaliyah Edwards and think that should open up plenty of opportunities for Kiki in the paint. An easy shot and a knack for rebounding. Sounds like a ROY to me!
Robert Zeglinski: Paige Bueckers. It couldn't possibly be anyone else. Bueckers might experience some early jitters, but she should be lighting the WNBA on fire by midseason, if not earlier. A truly special talent.
Prince J. Grimes: Paige Bueckers. Another generational talent entering the league. It's Paige.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Paige Bueckers. There isn't much to say on this one. She's going to immediately reverse the trajectory of the Wings. I'm so excited to watch her play.
WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Coach of the Year
Meghan L. Hall: Karl Smesko. Pencil in Karl Smesko as a dark-horse candidate for Coach of the Year. The Dream turned heads ahead of the season by prying Smesko away from the college ranks. Then, in free agency, they landed splash shinings like Brittney Griner. If Smesko can pull out shades of prime B.G. while revamping Atlanta's offense (and its 3-point shooting), he could run away with COTY. If Atlanta also earns a top-4 seed, get that man whatever he wants.
Michael Sykes: Karl Smesko. He will probably be a popular pick for Coach of the Year. Atlanta wasn't very good last season, so the bar here isn't particularly high. Plus, the team has added a ton of talent that should lead to a significant win total differential. At the same time, I also believe the offensive system he's implementing is one that will raise the level of the talent on this team in a drastic way.
Cory Woodroof: Stephanie White. The former Connecticut Sun coach has established herself as one of the game's elite minds, and she may well have her best team yet at the WNBA level. I'm expecting big things from Indiana, and I expect White to be rewarded for that surge.
Michelle R. Martinelli: Stephanie White. Starting with a new team is always challenging, but the Fever aren't really that new to her. They'll be looking to build on their first playoff appearance since 2016, and with Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell (fractured finger and all), White can lead this team to the next level.
Blake Schuster: Tyler Marsh. I'm fascinated by the Chicago Sky's hiring of the Las Vegas Aces assistant. Let's see what lessons he learned from A'Ja Wilson he can teach Angel Reese, before we go all in here but for now, he's my pick.
Robert Zeglinski: Tyler Marsh. As Blake notes, Marsh has a lot of quality experience with the league's marquee team over the last half-decade. Now he's at the helm of an ascending Sky team that just added Hailey Van Lith and will be rightfully expecting massive jumps from its promising young frontcourt featuring Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. The Sky are about to turn some heads, and Marsh will play a big part in that.
Prince J. Grimes: Stephanie White. Indiana took a big leap in Caitlin Clark's rookie season, and I think they'll take another big leap in Year 2, in large part thanks to White and the team's other offseason additions.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Sandy Brondello. I'm going to imagine this award will end up going to the coach of the best team in the WNBA, and I think that's the Liberty this season.
WNBA predictions: 2025 WNBA Sixth Player of the Year
Meghan L. Hall: Lexie Hull. She started 11 games for the Fever last season, including several the back half of the season and into the playoffs. While she's no longer in the starting lineup, she'll still be just as effective. Hull is a sneaky good defender and a clear threat from 3-point range. If she can duplicate (or get close to) her 47 percent shooting percentage from beyond the arc, the Sixth Player of the Year award is hers to lose.
Michael Sykes: Aaliyah Edwards. This is a bit of a homer pick for me as a Mystics fan, but whatever. Edwards is really good. She displayed how versatile she can be as a scorer during her 1-on-1 tournament run in Unrivaled. The Mystics are prioritizing starting their veteran players this season, so she probably won't start over Shakira Austin or Stefanie Dolson. But she'll finish a lot of games this season. I thinks he's going to show out.
Cory Woodroof: Sophie Cunningham. The biggest non-Caitlin Clark benefactor of White's arrival in Indiana will be Cunningham, who will thrive coming off the bench with the Fever. She's a perfect fit for this offense.
Michelle R. Martinelli: Marine Johannès. Maybe this is a real long-shot pick if you go by the odds, but Johannes could shine now that she's back with the Liberty. But after missing out on last season's championship team, she'll be a huge asset off the bench and offer some valuable relief to the primary scorers.
Blake Schuster: Kate Martin. She got stuck in a logjam in Las Vegas, but now with Golden State, she can take what she learned and star to show off.
Robert Zeglinski: Kate Martin. She should get a much bigger role with the Valkyries after shining in mostly a spot role for the Aces last year. Expect fireworks.
Prince J. Grimes: Shatori Walker-Kimbrough. She'll likely play a similar role for Atlanta as the one she had in Washington, where she finished third in voting as a microwave scorer last year. Only she'll be doing it for a team that should win a lot more this year.
Bryan Kalbrosky: Sophie Cunningham. I'm expecting big things for the Fever this year, and after Cunningham spent the first several years of her career with Phoenix, this is an interesting opportunity for her to turn some heads with a new team in Indiana.