Note: WNBA.com’s Race to the MVP, released every Wednesday during the season, is
the opinion of this writer and does not reflect the views of the WNBA or its
clubs.
MORE:Race to MVP Archive
It’s still too early to judge many of these MVP candidates, as some WNBA teams
have played just five games compared to as many as eight for others. Missing
from this list for the first time is Mystics star Elena Delle Donne, who hasn’t
played since May 27 due to illness. Delle Donne is one of many familiar faces –
including Maya Moore and Candace Parker – that miss the cut at this point.
With those caveats… here are the Week 3 rankings in the Race to the MVP:
1. Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks Last Week: 1 Stats: 18.6 points, 61% FG,
44% 3FG, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals
The Sparks played just one game in the last week, and they beat the defending
champion Lynx for the second time in as many tries this season. At 4-1, L.A. is
among the early favorites to finish with the top seed at the end of the season.
Ogwumike could have a shot at her second MVP if they do so. Through last
weekend, she ranked third in the league in win shares (1.2) despite the Sparks
playing only five games.
2. Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury Last Week: 2 Stats: 21.0 points, 58% FG, 6.5
rebounds, 2.5 blocks
After a bumpy stretch for the Mercury, Griner has led them to three straight
wins with dominant individual play. She guided Phoenix past Minnesota, Atlanta
and New York while averaging 21.3 points on 60 percent shooting, to go with
three blocks in each contest. Griner hit a clutch jumper in the final minute at
Madison Square Garden on Tuesday to help the Mercury improve to 5-3 on the year.
3. Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm Last Week: 4 Stats: 22.3 points, 52% FG, 8.6
rebounds, 1.8 blocks
The Storm’s win streak finally came to an end against Dallas, but you can’t
point the finger at Stewart. Seattle was short-handed, and she finished with an
incredible line of 28 points, seven boards, four assists, two steals and two
blocks in a difficult matchup with Liz Cambage. It doesn’t get any easier, as
Seattle visits Candace Parker and the Sparks on Thursday (10:30 PM ET, ESPN2).
4. Chelsea Gray, Los Angeles Sparks Last Week: 5 Stats: 17.8 points, 49% FG, 7.0
assists, 1.8 steals
Gray and backcourt partner Odyssey Sims thoroughly outplayed the Lynx guards as
L.A. improved to 2-0 against the defending champions this season. After a
stellar Finals performance last year, Gray is now averaging 16.5 points, seven
assists and just two turnovers against Minnesota this year, all while shooting
nearly 50 percent. She could be the difference-maker if we end up with
Sparks-Lynx Part III.
5. Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun Last Week: 9 Stats: 14.7 points, 57% FG, 11.0
rebounds, 4.5 assists
The best start in franchise history came to an end Tuesday, as Atlanta held on
for a five-point win over the Sun. Yet Thomas had another monster game,
producing 19 points (8-for-15 FG), a career-high tying 17 rebounds and seven
assists. In addition to her impact distributing the ball, Thomas led the WNBA in
defensive win shares (0.6) as of Monday. The only player averaging more than 27
minutes per game on a deep team, the fifth-year pro is an MVP dark horse.
6. Jewell Loyd, Seattle Storm Last Week: 6 Stats: 21.6 points, 45% FG, 42% 3FG,
5.1 rebounds
It’s no coincidence that Loyd had an off night during Seattle’s first loss in
the past six games. Nevertheless, Loyd is still posting career-best numbers in
overall shooting percentage and 3-point shooting through seven games. As of
Monday, she was leading the entire league in Win Shares (1.5), an indicator of
her impact on one of the WNBA’s hottest teams.
7. Tina Charles, New York Liberty Last Week: 7 Stats: 23.8 points, 47% FG, 8.8
rebounds, 1.4 steals
Charles nearly guided New York to an impressive win over Phoenix, but her 25
points, eight rebounds and four assists weren’t enough. She leads the league
with 21.2 field goal attempts per game, and it’s not even close. Charles has
taken at least four 3-pointers in every contest, a crazy stat considering she
attempted five total triples just three seasons ago. Unfortunately for New York,
she’s not making them consistently at the moment.
8. Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx Last Week: 3 Stats: 16.1 points, 60% FG, 11.9
rebounds, 1.2 steals
It’s not surprising that Fowles’ numbers are down after her MVP season. However,
maybe the most alarming stat is her turnovers. Among those who have played
significant minutes, Fowles leads the league with 4.1 giveaways per game after
committing just 2.4 per game as the MVP last year. Even more surprising, the
Lynx are near the bottom of the standings at 2-5.
9. Liz Cambage, Dallas Wings Last Week: 10 Stats: 20.0 points, 56% FG, 11.2
rebounds, 2.6 blocks
Cambage is the reigning Player of the Week in the stacked Western Conference.
She’s been unstoppable this season, and the advanced numbers back it up. Cambage
has the best overall plus-minus on Dallas. As a defensive unit, the Wings give
up 78.9 points per 40 minutes when she’s on the court, compared to 94.6 when
she’s resting. The only thing holding her back here is the team’s 3-3 record.
10. Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury Last Week: Unranked Stats: 18.9 points, 43%
FG, 4.4 assists
Even with her 36th birthday approaching, Taurasi has the trust of her Mercury
teammates and the ultimate green light from her coach. She has launched a
league-high 8.1 three-pointers per game and is once again among the WNBA’s
leading scorers. On Tuesday, she became the first WNBA player to reach 8,000
career points. Taurasi also averaged 7.3 assists over the last four games as
Phoenix went 3-1.
