09/03/2026
A’ja Wilson is the clear 2026 WNBA MVP frontrunner, and barring a dramatic late shift in the race, she is the likely winner of a record fifth MVP. Olivia Miles has the strongest case to challenge her, while Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark have produced seasons worthy of serious recognition—but Wilson’s two-way dominance separates her from the field. [sports.betmgm](https://sports.betmgm.com/en/blog/wnba/wnba-mvp-odds-prediction-bm23/)
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2026 WNBA MVP RACE: WHO’S THE FRONTRUNNER?
With the regular season nearing its finish, the 2026 MVP conversation has a clear leader: A’ja Wilson.
Wilson is putting together another ridiculous two-way season for Las Vegas: 26.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. She leads the league in scoring and blocks while ranking among the top rebounders, and she is doing it efficiently on a top-tier Aces team.
That is the biggest difference in this race. Other stars have elite offensive cases. A’ja has the elite offensive case AND a Defensive Player of the Year-level impact on the other end.
Olivia Miles is the real challenger.
The Minnesota rookie has been the engine for the league’s best team, averaging nearly 20 points and more than six assists per game while shooting efficiently from the field and from three. Minnesota’s record gives her a legitimate MVP argument, especially considering the responsibility she has carried as a rookie. If voters value being the top offensive organizer on the WNBA’s best regular-season team, Miles has a strong case.
But the gap is still difficult to overcome. A’ja’s scoring edge, rebounding edge, rim protection, defensive versatility and individual dominance make her résumé more complete.
Kelsey Mitchell deserves major credit, too. She is having the best scoring season of her career, averaging 25.0 points per game on over 51 percent shooting and over 45 percent from three. That is superstar-level efficiency for a high-volume guard. The issue is that, on her own team, Caitlin Clark’s playmaking and overall offensive control split some of the “most valuable” attention.
Clark remains in the conversation because of her combination of high-level scoring and league-leading playmaking. She has taken another step as an efficient scorer while continuing to bend defenses with her passing and deep shooting. But MVP is usually difficult to win without a stronger defensive case, especially when the leading candidate is also the league’s best two-way force.
Breanna Stewart and Paige Bueckers have had strong seasons, but neither has built the same combination of dominant numbers, team positioning and late-season momentum as Wilson, Miles, Mitchell or Clark.
MY MVP BALLOT RIGHT NOW:
1. A’ja Wilson
2. Olivia Miles
3. Kelsey Mitchell
4. Caitlin Clark
5. Breanna Stewart
LIKELY WINNER: A’ja Wilson
The best argument against A’ja is that voters may want to reward Olivia Miles for leading Minnesota and producing one of the most impressive rookie seasons the league has seen.
The best argument for A’ja is simple: she has been the best player in the WNBA. She leads the league in scoring, anchors an elite team, protects the rim at an elite level and impacts winning on both ends of the floor every night.
If Wilson wins, she would claim a record fifth WNBA MVP—and it would be hard to argue she did not earn it.
WNBA Las Vegas Aces Indiana Fever New York Liberty
Kelsey Mitchell
