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The 5 Most Underrated WNBA Players Right Now

Isabelle McCarthy 350 May 30, 2026Fact checked by: Geoff Magliocchetti Be First

With the 2026 WNBA season underway, the usual stars shining and the rookies finding their footing. But what about the players flying under the radar?

Pauline Astier New York Liberty
(Photo: Brandon Todd, New York Liberty)

Every season features a handful of players who may not dominate national headlines but continue to impact winning in major ways. Whether it's thriving in expanded roles, anchoring a defense, or quietly putting together breakout campaigns, these players deserve far more recognition than they're currently receiving.

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5. Sarah Ashlee Barker, Portland

When the Fire selected Barker in the expansion draft, many viewed her as a solid depth piece with developmental upside. A month into the season, she's proven to be much more than that.

Barker is averaging 9.7 points and 4.4 rebounds while becoming one of Portland's most reliable two-way players. For a second-year guard who averaged just 3.1 points as a rookie with Los Angeles, the leap has been significant.

What makes Barker's season so impressive isn't necessarily the scoring, it's the impact she's making in winning moments. On May 12, Barker's buzzer-beating putback gave the Fire its first win in franchise history over the New York Liberty. Earlier this week in a rematch with New York, Barker provided seven crucial fourth-quarter points during a decisive run that helped the Fire complete a comeback.

The former Alabama star has embraced the role expansion teams were designed to create: giving talented young players opportunities they may not have received elsewhere. Barker has rewarded Portland's faith with improved scoring, strong rebounding from the guard position, and the type of toughness that doesn't always show up in the box score.

While teammates like Carla Leite and Bridget Carleton have received much of the national attention, Barker has quietly become one of the most important pieces of Portland's early success. For an expansion team, the Fire have become a threat and Barker has provided significant value for the team’s first season so far. 

4. Nyara Sabally, Toronto

Expansion teams are often built around opportunity. Few players have taken advantage of that opportunity more than Sabally.

After spending the first few years of her career battling injuries and fighting for consistent minutes in New York, Sabally has emerged as one of the Tempo's most important players. Through the first month of the season, she's averaging 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks while providing a physical presence on both ends of the floor.

What makes Sabally underrated is that her impact extends far beyond the stat sheet. She has become Toronto's anchor in the paint, giving the Tempo a reliable rebounder, rim protector, and interior scorer. Every night she embraces the dirty work that allows the rest of the roster to thrive.

For years, injuries prevented Sabally from showcasing her full potential. Whenever she found a rhythm, something seemed to interrupt her momentum. This season has been different. She's finally receiving the consistent role and opportunities many believed she was capable of handling when she entered the league.

While expansion teammate Marina Mabrey and several of Toronto's perimeter players often generate the headlines, Sabally has quietly become one of the biggest reasons the Tempo have been competitive. Her ability to control the glass, defend multiple actions, and provide efficient scoring inside has made her one of the most valuable under-the-radar frontcourt players in the WNBA.

If Sabally continues at this pace, 2026 could easily become the best season of her professional career. It's time she starts receiving the recognition that comes with it.

3. Zia Cooke, Seattle

Few players have benefited more from a fresh start than Cooke. The former first-round pick has finally begun showing the offensive confidence that made her one of the most exciting scorers in college basketball. With the Storm, she has been able to flaunt her abilities.

Cooke's game has always been built around her ability to create shots and pressure defenses with her speed. The difference this season is opportunity. She's receiving consistent minutes and showing flashes of the dynamic scorer that helped lead South Carolina to national championships during her college career.

What makes Cooke underrated is that many fans had already written her off after an inconsistent start to her professional career. Instead, she's proving development isn't always linear. Her scoring punch off the bench and ability to create offense in isolation give her team an element many second units around the league simply don't have.

As the season progresses, don't be surprised if Cooke becomes one of the league's breakout stories and significantly raises her profile around the WNBA.

2. Pauline Astier, New York 

The New York Liberty entered the season with championship expectations, but injuries and absences created opportunities for someone new to step up. Enter Pauline Astier.

The French rookie has been phenomenal, averaging 12 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while seamlessly transitioning from Europe to the WNBA.

Astier's poise has been remarkable, as she looks nothing like a rookie when she's running the offense. Astier consistently makes the right reads and controls the pace of the game. Her maturity and basketball IQ impressed Liberty coaches from the moment she arrived in training camp, and she quickly became one of the most trusted players in the rotation.

She has had multiple breakout performances, but recently she scored a team-high 16 points in a Friday win over the Phoenix Mercury, including six points in the fourth quarter. She's also posted multiple 20-plus point performances already this season, proving she can score at a high level when needed.

Playing in New York often means attention naturally gravitates toward bigger names, but Astier has been one of the Liberty's most important players through the opening month. She deserves far more recognition in league-wide conversations.

1. Natasha Mack, Phoenix

If you've watched the Mercury this season, you already know why Natasha Mack tops this list.

After serving primarily as a role player throughout much of her WNBA career, Mack has emerged as one of the league's most impactful defensive anchors while adding offensive production at a career-best level. She's averaging 10.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks while continuing to establish herself as one of the WNBA's premier interior defenders.

Mack's value starts on the defensive end. She changes shots at the rim, controls the glass, and gives Phoenix a physical presence that few teams can match. But what has elevated her game this season is her offensive efficiency. She's finishing opportunities around the basket, creating second-chance points, and becoming a consistent double-double threat.

The scary part is that she's doing all of this while still not receiving the same attention as many of the league's bigger-name frontcourt players. Phoenix's defense is dramatically better when Mack is on the floor, and her growth into a two-way force has been one of the most important developments of the Mercury's season.

Every contender needs players who do the dirty work. Mack has become one of the very best at it and that's why she's the most underrated player in the WNBA right now.

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