LAS VEGAS — A thrilling All-Star Weekend is now complete, and the second half of the 2023 WNBA season will get underway on Tuesday. This short break between games is a perfect time to take a snapshot of the league and hand out some mid-season awards and make another Finals prediction.
Here’s a look at some of the league’s best from the first half of the season:
Rookie of the Year: Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever
There is no debate here. Boston was a massive favorite to win the award heading into the season and has all but locked it up at the mid-way point. Even if she didn’t play another game the rest of the season she would still probably win the award. Through 20 games, she’s averaging 15.4 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game, while shooting a league-leading 61% from the field. The only other players to ever put up at least 15 points and eight rebounds per game on 60% shooting for a season are former MVPs Sylvia Fowles and Nneka Ogwumike, and Boston is doing it as a rookie. Earlier this month she became the first rookie to start the All-Star Game since 2014, and the eighth ever to earn that honor.
Preseason prediction: Boston
St. Thomas’ Aliyah Boston makes the first basket for Team Wilson in the opening seconds of Saturday night’s 2023 WNBA All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Boston, the first rookie starter in the All-Star Game since 2014, finished with six points and a team-high 11 rebounds for Team Wilson in its 143-127 loss to Team Stewart. MORE ON PAGE 25WNBA photo by GETTY IMAGES
MVP: Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty
Stewart has been incredible in her first season with the Liberty, and is a clear favorite to win MVP. The veteran forward is averaging 23.1 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists, all of which are career-high marks, and also shooting 47.6% from the field and 41.1% from 3-point land. She’s second in the league in scoring, first in rebounding and the only player in the top-15 in scoring, rebounding, assists, steals and blocks. Furthermore, she’s on pace to become the first player in WNBA history to average at least 20 points and nine rebounds for a season, let alone at least four assists as well. And while the Liberty have perhaps been a bit underwhelming compared to the Las Vegas Aces, they sit in second place at the All-Star break at 14-4.
Preseason prediction: Stewart
Defensive Player of the Year: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Wilson made history last summer as the fifth player to win both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. She’ll have an uphill battle to get MVP this season, but DPOY is hers for the taking. Wilson is leading the league in blocks (2.1 per game) and defensive win shares (1.8), and is the anchor for the league’s best defense (95.1 defensive rating). Her mobility at her size, along with her length and IQ make her one of the most versatile defenders in the game. She’s most effective around the basket, though, where she’s grown into a devastating rim protector. There’s a reason the Aces allow the second-fewest shots in the restricted area per game (16.7): no one wants to challenge Wilson.
Preseason prediction: Ezi Magbegor, Seattle Storm
Sixth Player of the Year: DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut Sun
Sixth Player of the Year is often the trickiest award to determine, and that is once again the case this season. One strong contender is Sun wing DiJonai Carrington, who is enjoying the best season of her career. Her 8.9 points per game lead all bench players, she’s shooting 38.9% from 3-point land and her energy on both ends of the floor gives the Sun a real spark. Her play has been a key part of their 15-5 start to the season despite losing Jonquel Jones in free agency and Brionna Jones to a torn Achilles tendon.
Preseason prediction: Alysha Clark, Las Vegas Aces
Most Improved Player: Satou Sabally, Dallas Wings
Sabally hasn’t been able to sustain her unbelievable start to the season, but she’s still playing the best basketball of her career. And, most importantly, has been able to stay healthy. Her 17.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals per game are all career-highs, as is her 34% mark from 3-point land. She’s on pace to become the eighth player to average at least 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists for a season; six of the seven to do so before her were MVPs. Sabally’s emergence has been terrific news for the Wings, who enter the All-Star break at 11-9. If she continues playing like this, they could record their first winning season since moving to Dallas in 2016.
Preseason prediction: Sabally
Coach of the Year: Becky Hammon, Las Vegas Aces
Winning Coach of the Year multiple times is rare enough. Winning it in back-to-back seasons is nearly unheard of. Only six coaches have won the award at least twice, and Van Chancellor of the now-defunct Houston Comets is the only one to do so consecutively. (He actually won the first three Coach of the Year awards.) Hammon has a chance to join that exclusive club if the Aces continue in dominant fashion in the second half of the season. They are 19-2, which has them on pace for the best winning percentage of all time, have the best offense, the best defense and a plus-19.1 net rating that would be the best ever.
Preseason prediction: Sandy Brondello, New York Liberty
Finals: Aces over Liberty
This has been the expected Finals matchup since February, but back then the two teams seemed just about even. After the first half of the season, the Aces have established themselves as the clear favorite, and crushed the Liberty in the lone matchup between them so far. Not only does Las Vegas have an incredible amount of talent, their continuity is a major advantage. Even if you assume that the Liberty will improve between now and the playoffs, the Aces have to be the pick to win the title.
Preseason prediction: Liberty over Aces
By JACK MALONEY/CBS Sports