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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. A’ja Wilson and Alanna Smith Named Co-Defensive Players of the Year 🛡️
For the first time ever, the WNBA has two winners for Defensive Player of the Year. Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson and Minnesota’s Alanna Smith each received 29 votes from the media panel, earning them Co-DPOY honors. (WNBA)
WHY IT MATTERS: This is the first time the league has split the award, and both players absolutely earned it. Smith ranked second in the WNBA for combined steals + blocks (135) while anchoring the Lynx’s league-best defensive rating (97.5). Wilson led the league in blocks per game (2.3), rebounds (407), and total steals + blocks (156). This award shows how critical defense is to a team’s success—the Lynx and Aces ended the season ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.
2. It’s the End of the Road for Atlanta and Seattle 🚧
Thursday night’s Game 3s delivered more playoff drama — and one big upset. The Indiana Fever stormed back late in the 4th quarter to stun Atlanta on their home floor, 87-85, and punch their ticket to the semifinals. Over in Vegas, the Aces survived a furious Seattle comeback to escape with a 74-73 thriller and move on. (WNBA)
WHY IT MATTERS: The league’s new 1-1-1 first-round format is giving us elimination games packed with intensity. For Indiana, it’s their first playoff series win since 2015, fueled by a lockdown 4th quarter where they held the Dream to just 12 points and stole the lead in the final seconds.
Seattle nearly pulled off a shocker after erasing a 12-point deficit in the fourth, but Las Vegas held on. The Aces have now knocked the Storm out of the postseason three times in the last four years.
Playoff action continues this weekend:
Friday: Round 1, Game 3 - New York (5) at Phoenix (4), 9:00 PM ET on ESPN2
Sunday: Round 2, Game 1 - Indiana (6) at Las Vegas (2), 3:00 PM ET on ABC
Sunday: Round 2, Game 1 - New York/Phoenix winner at Minnesota (1), 5:00 PM ET on ESPN
3. WNBA MVP to Be Announced Sunday 📣
Today the WNBA will release the five finalists for the 2025 Most Valuable Player award, with the winner to be announced on Sunday. (WNBA)
WHY IT MATTERS: The MVP award is the league’s highest individual honor. The list of past MVP winners is a who’s who of basketball icons, and it’s the kind of award that cements a player’s legacy as one of the greats. This year’s race has been one of the tightest in recent memory. Expect to see Napheesa Collier, A’ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, and Kelsey Mitchell among the finalists revealed today.
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