EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsChennedy Carter casually mentioned wanting to be the "the one that is resilient" for the Las Vegas Aces during a recent news conference. For the enigmatic former No. 4 WNBA draft pick, that's not always easy.On the court, Carter has been everything the organization could have imagined when they signed the high-scoring guard in free agency. Off the court, frustrations can sometimes leak out a bit for someone who often wears her emotions on her sleeve, like when she bailed early on a postgame media session.Regardless, that was a hiccup, as Carter has breathed life back into her WNBA career after being out of the league two of the past three years. Five games into 2026, Carter has been the best offseason addition in the league after a free-agency period that included nearly every veteran in the WNBA."I'm just having fun," Carter said. "I'm just thankful that I have a team that has embraced me and allowed me to be me. It's felt comfortable. It doesn't feel forced. It just feels right."Carter is averaging a career-high 19.4 points per game while shooting a career-best 67.2% from the field -- all off the bench. She set the league record for most points (97) scored for a player coming off the bench through their first five games of the season. An offensive juggernaut from the first day she stepped on a WNBA floor in 2020, clashes off the court have been the issue. But Carter feels the love in Las Vegas and said she believes this is a group that has her best interest at heart. She has previous friendships with several players on the roster and credits coach Becky Hammon for giving her freedom offensively while pushing her to use that elite offensive skill set on the defensive end.The Aces are already chasing a fourth title with a loaded roster, and then they added Carter."She just continues to grow in our system," Hammon said. "The points, you can't get past the points. She's a bucket. ... I don't give her a lot of structure offensively."I know she can score the ball. She's added a 3-ball to her game, which makes her about unguardable if she hits one or two of those. It gets real scary for opponents. We're just letting her be her. As well as we're going to continue to coach her up on the defensive end."With Carter leading the way, we rank the 10 newcomers -- including draft picks, free agent moves and trades -- having the biggest impact on their new teams. Not included on this list is Chicago Sky wing Rickea Jackson, who tore her ACL over the weekend and is out for the remainder of the season. She would have ranked high on the list and was in the running for Most Improved Player with 18.0 points per game, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.8 blocks.1. Chennedy Carter, Las Vegas, guardIn addition to the career-high stats we mentioned above, Carter ranks No. 11 in the league in points per game to go along with 2.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals. As Hammon said, Carter is working to develop a 3-point shot. Through five games, she's 3-for-8 (37.5%) from beyond the arc. She made nine 3-pointers in 33 games in 2024, her most recent full season."I haven't done the things that I want to do," Carter said of her career. "I'm OK with being at the bottom and climbing my way back up to the top. I feel like I'm one of the best scorers in the world and I'm just accepting the process."2. Olivia Miles, Minnesota Lynx, guardThe No. 2 draft pick has been the best rookie in the league and a starter from Day 1 for the Lynx. Her point guard skills have seamlessly transferred as she runs the Minnesota offense and has averaged 15.5 points, 5.8 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Those assists rank No. 7 in the league and Miles is the only rookie ranked in the top 21.There were plenty of doubts surrounding the Lynx after they lost five of their top seven scorers during the offseason and didn't have Napheesa Collier due to a pair of ankle surgeries. The 5-foot-10 rookie has been a huge part of alleviating the worst of those worries as the team is 2-2, including a one-point loss to Atlanta and a road win over Phoenix. She joined Candace Parker and Sue Bird as the only players in WNBA history with 10 points and five assists in each of the first three career games.3. Brittney Sykes, Toronto Tempo, guardSykes became the biggest free agent signing in the inaugural season for Toronto, receiving a two-year deal worth $1.19 million per year. She and Marina Mabrey instantly became the faces of the expansion franchise. Sykes has improved every game, from a 14-point debut to scoring a career-high 38 points Sunday to go along with three assists and three steals. One of the best two-way guards in the league, Sykes also fills a leadership role on a roster that didn't exist a year ago. She ranks tied for fourth in the league with a career-high 24.3 points per game, No. 2 in steals per game (2.8) and No. 10 in efficiency (20.5).The long-armed, 5-foot-11, four-time all-defensive team selection is also averaging a career-high 4.5 assists per game and has gotten to the free throw line at a career pace with 11.0 attempts per game. Sykes earned her lone all-star nod in 2025."Here, I'm getting to do what I want to do, which is score the ball, but also play both ends of the floor," Sykes said. "[The coaches] understand the asset that I am and they let that go on full display. There's a green light for me to just play my basketball."4. Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo, guardThe Tempo targeted Mabrey in the expansion draft and immediately designated her as a core player. Soon after, they signed her to a two-year, $2.4 million deal. Marbrey hasn't disappointed, averaging a career-high 18.5 points per game and shooting 40.0% from 3-point range on a career-high 7.5 attempts per game. She is one of seven players shooting at least 40% from behind the arc with at least five attempts per game. Mabrey's points rank No. 12 in the WNBA and she's also averaging 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals while providing a fiery and emotional leadership style to complement Sykes."For me, I am ready to kind of unlock everything," Mabrey said. "Maybe in the past years, I haven't put it all together or been in the role to put it all together. When you play for different teams you play a different role everywhere ... you don't really get to choose your role so much."5. Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream, centerThings ended abruptly in Chicago for Reese after she expressed the desire for a more competitive roster. The sentiment wasn't necessarily wrong -- the Sky went out and built one -- but the timing seemed to facilitate the eventual breakup. The Sky moved Reese to the Dream and she's averaging 10.7 points, 12.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.7 blocks. The points, field goal percentage (33.3) and turnovers (5.3 per game) have slid, but the Dream are 2-1 and Reese's impact is being felt even more on the defensive end. The Dream lead the league with 45.0 rebounds per game, 6.5 more than No. 2 Washington. That's a nearly nine-rebound increase from 2025. Atlanta ranks No 2 in defensive rating (99.2) with Reese anchoring the middle. She finished off the Lynx with a game-winning block in the season opener.6. Pauline Astier, New York Liberty, guardThe undrafted rookie out of France might be the biggest surprise in the 2026 class. She leads all rookies with 16.8 points per game (No. 16 among all players) and ranks No. 2 in assists (4.0) and is tied for No. 2 in steals (1.5). At 5-11, the 24-year-old is also shooting 62.5% from the field and 45.5% on 3-pointers while handing out 4.0 assists and grabbing 3.8 rebounds. Astier has held down the starting point guard slot while Sabrina Ionescu has been out with injury, and the 3-1 Liberty haven't missed a beat as a favorite to reach the WNBA Finals. Astier was named 2023 EuroLeague Women's Young Player of the Year and 2026 FIBA Europe Supercup MVP."Astier represents exactly the type of young player we prioritize, someone with the talent to contribute right away and the upside to develop into an everyday player in this league," Liberty general manager Jonathan Kolb said when the signing was announced. "She possesses elite vision at the point guard position, and we believe her feel for the game can be maximized and continue to grow within Chris DeMarco's system."7. Skylar Diggins, Chicago Sky, guardThe Sky are the biggest surprise of the first stretch of the season with a 3-1 record, and much of that is owed to the leadership of seven-time all-star Diggins. The numbers have dipped some -- 12.0 points, 5.7 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, plus 39.4% shooting from the field and 33.3% from 3-point range -- but she's averaging a career-high 6.0 rebounds, which ranks No. 4 among all guards. Diggins, 35, has helped set the tone and alter the culture for a team that hasn't had a winning record since 2022. The Sky have the top defensive rating (97.2) in the league and rank No. 2 in opponents points per game (79.0). Diggins' 92.4 defensive rating ranks No. 15 in the league.8. Bridget Carleton, Portland Fire, forwardThe Portland Fire selected Carleton with the No. 1 pick in the expansion draft, and she has quickly rewarded the first-year organization. The 2019 second-round pick is averaging a career-high 17.0 points per game (No. 14 in the league) while shooting 44.9% from the field and 38.7% from deep. Add that to 3.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a career-high 2.3 steals per game (No. 3 in the league). Carleton has always been in a supporting role, even as a starter the last two seasons, but the Fire have put her in position to lead the way on and off the court."I'm really grateful for this opportunity, I was ready for it," Carleton said. "I was excited about this opportunity and not only taking the next step on the court, but as a leader, as someone that's going to be looked upon to make things happen on the court (and) be a voice in the locker room."9. Jovana Nogic, Phoenix Mercury, guardAnother rookie from overseas who didn't get a lot of attention during the offseason, signing as an undrafted free agent, Nogic has started three of four games and is averaging 16.0 points (No. 23 in the league) while shooting 51.6% from the field and 65.0% from behind the arc. In handing the Sky their lone loss, the 28-year-old from Serbia became the first Mercury rookie to score 25-plus points and hit five 3-pointers since Diana Taurasi in 2004. Sixty-four points through her first four games is the third-most by any rookie in franchise history and she has recorded the second-highest efficiency (80.4 true shooting percentage) in the first four games of a season by any player in WNBA history. At 6-foot, Nogic has the green light from coach Nate Tibbetts.10. Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries, forwardWilliams seemed to be the ideal free-agent target for a team that loves to shoot 3s, emphasizes defense and likes an international flavor on the roster. The 5-11 forward with both American and French citizenship is averaging career highs in points (14.7), rebounds (5.3) and 3-point shooting (40.0%). She's a two-time all-defensive team selection and is grabbing 2.0 steals per game, just 0.3 fewer than when she was the league's steals champion in 2025. There was some wonder if the Valkyries would regress after making the playoffs as an expansion team, but Williams' addition has helped alleviate some of those concerns as they opened the season 2-1."It's a team where you're not relying on superstars," Williams said. "You're relying on everyone playing together and fighting for each other. ... That's something I appreciate the older I'm getting, just playing with a team that wants to be like that."
