The race for the 2025 WNBA Most Valuable Player award has tightened in recent weeks, turning what once appeared to be a clear path for Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier into a three-player showdown.
Collier was widely viewed as the frontrunner through much of the summer. She carried the Lynx to the league’s best record at 30-7 while leading the WNBA in scoring and impacting the game on both ends of the floor. But an ankle injury in early August forced her out for three weeks, opening the door for other contenders to build momentum.
Las Vegas took full advantage. Behind reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, the Aces have strung together 11 consecutive wins to climb into the No. 3 spot in the standings. At the same time, Phoenix forward Alyssa Thomas has put together another all-around season, producing near triple-double averages during her first year with the Mercury.
Lisa Leslie’s Perspective
Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie said the race now feels wide open during an Aug. 25 appearance on CBS Sports’ We Need to Talk.
“Initially, I had Napheesa Collier running away with [the MVP award]… Then all of a sudden, you have A’ja Wilson, who just makes an amazing run. I mean, really close,” Leslie said. “And then Alyssa Thomas… the fact that she’s almost averaging a triple-double… that is crazy business as well.
“The three of them at the top, I think, it’s really tough. I think Collier may get it… She started where she left off. But A’ja Wilson is, I mean, wow. It’s tough. I don’t get to vote, y’all.”
Wilson has made perhaps the strongest push. She was named Western Conference Player of the Week for Aug. 18-24 after averaging 29.0 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in three wins. It marked her 27th career weekly honor, tying Candace Parker for the second-most in league history, and her fifth this season.
A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier are making this WNBA MVP race TOUGH 😅@IceYoung23 and @LisaLeslie break down their frontrunners ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/tc9kDjDrSu
— We Need To Talk (@WeNeedToTalk) August 25, 2025
During that span, Wilson became the fastest player to 5,500 career points and joined an exclusive group of just 15 players with at least 5,500 points and 2,000 rebounds. Her 32-point, 12-rebound, five-block outing against Atlanta was her third career game with at least 30 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, the most in WNBA history.
Race to the Finish
Through Aug. 25, Wilson leads the league in total points (789), rebounds (346), blocks per game (2.2) and efficiency rating (32.3). She is second in scoring (23.2), rebounding (10.2) and points in the paint (12.4).
Collier’s return from injury and Thomas’ versatile production mean the award remains unsettled. Collier still has the résumé of a top seed and two-way force. Wilson has produced at a historic pace while powering Las Vegas’ surge. Thomas, nearly averaging a triple-double, has kept Phoenix competitive with her playmaking and rebounding.
With two weeks left in the regular season, the MVP chase is expected to come down to the final stretch. What once looked like Collier’s to lose now shapes up as one of the closest races in league history.
