EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWe are almost a month into this action-packed WNBA season, and this is a good time to take a closer look at the awards races that are already starting to take shape.The futures betting market can be volatile over the course of a season, so there's value in tracking where things stand and what could change moving forward.You might recall how things played out last season, when then-reigning MVP A'ja Wilson had fallen to long-shot status to repeat as MVP with odds of +1000. In this space, we highlighted it as the best future value on the board, and by season's end Wilson edged out Minnesota's Napheesa Collier and was named MVP.Bringing thing's back to 2026, let's take a look at the current state of the MVP, Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and Sixth Player of the Year races while delving deeper into the favorites, the contenders and the long shots to identify where the best betting value lies.Most Valuable PlayerLeader: A'ja Wilson (+100)In the hunt: Caitlin Clark (+300), Paige Bueckers (+900)Long shots of interest: Breanna Stewart (+1400), Allisha Gray (+1400), Kelsey Plum (+3000), Alyssa Thomas (+5,000)Wilson is the even-money favorite to win her third straight MVP award and fifth overall. She leads the league in scoring (24.8 PPG) and blocked shots (2.6 BPG) and has the Las Vegas Aces battling for the best record in the league. The Aces are tied for the second spot in the league, a game behind the Minnesota Lynx, and are right in the mix to maintain their position as one of the best in the league. Wilson's combo of dominant stats and team success are a proven recipe for MVP trophies.Clark leads the league in assists (8.1 APG) and is fourth in scoring (20.6 PPG) in her return from last season's injury. She is also one of the biggest names in the league and leads a true "Big 3" with Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston as fellow All-Stars. The Indiana Fever are playing .500 ball, but if they rediscover the winning ways that got them to last season's final four, there is upside for Clark to make an MVP push.Bueckers has helped the Dallas Wings get out to a surprisingly strong start this season, only a game behind the first-place Lynx. Bueckers leads the team in scoring (18.6 PPG) with excellent scoring efficiency, shooting 49.2% from the field and 42.5% behind the arc with solid contributions as a floor general (5.3 APG) as well.While former MVP Stewart (best player on contending New York Liberty), league-leading scorer Plum and last season's third-place finisher and triple-double star Thomas are all worth keeping an eye on in this race, Gray is the best value among the long shots, and perhaps overall. Gray is second in the league in scoring (21.1 PPG) while leading the Dream to the second-best record in the league, just a half-game behind the Lynx. Gray is dominating the impact stats, and her on-court/off-court plus/minus of +31.6 points per 100 possessions is the best mark in the WNBA.Wilson should be considered the MVP favorite and is on pace to three-peat, but Gray is building a strong case early and has a legitimate path to victory with excellent juice at long-shot odds.Rookie of the YearLeader: Olivia Miles (-250)In the hunt: Azzi Fudd (+600), Flau'jae Johnson (+700)Long shots of interest: Kiki Rice (+1300), Awa Fam (+3500), Pauline Astier (+4000)Miles has been arguably the best player on the best team in the league early in the season, helping lead the Lynx to the best record in the WNBA despite the continued injury absence of Collier. Miles leads all rookies in scoring (15.8 PPG), assists (6.2 APG) and steals (1.7 SPG), and is third in rebounds (5.3 RPG).Fudd was the No. 1 overall pick in this rookie class. After a slow start, she surged with back-to-back 22+ point scoring efforts to end May. She is currently fourth among rookies in scoring (12.1 PPG) and second in 3-pointers (1.8 3PG, 43.8 3P%) on a Wings squad with playoffs aspirations.Johnson has a leading role for the Seattle Storm, leads rookies in blocks (1.5 BPG), is second in rebounding (5.1 RPG) and sixth in scoring (11.9 PPG).Rice has surged into a starting, impact role for the expansion Toronto Tempo, who are surprisingly in the playoffs mix. Fam has fulfilled her overseas obligations and in her first four games her role for the Storm has expanded to near starter-minutes with lots of upside. Astier put up big numbers to help keep the Liberty afloat with Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally injured and continues to produce as a part-time starter.Miles is a heavy favorite to win the award, for good reason, though her odds-on status doesn't return much juice for those betting moving forward. For those looking to bid low on a player with longer odds, Fudd still has the top overall pick pedigree and is helping lead the Wings into early contention, so she has upside to get back into the race as the season progresses.Defensive Player of the YearLeader: A'ja Wilson (+110)In the hunt: Gabby Williams (+700)Long shots of interest: Rhyne Howard (+1500), Angel Reese (+1500)Wilson has been named Defensive Player of the Year in three of the last four seasons, including her tie with Alanna Smith last season. The one season she didn't win the award, 2024, Wilson came in second to Collier. Collier hasn't played yet this season, and Wilson is again leading the league in blocks (2.6 BPG), is tied for third in the league in total defensive rebounds and is averaging more than a steal (1.2 SPG) while leading the Aces to the fourth-best team defensive rating in the league.Williams has a strong defensive reputation and is tied for fifth in the league with 1.8 SPG for a Golden State Valkyries squad with the third-best defensive rating in the league.Howard and Reese have led the Dream to the second-best team defensive rating in the league. Howard is great at generating turnovers, leading the league with 2.7 SPG. Reese has an argument as the best versatile on-ball defender in the league, capable of defending all frontcourt positions while surviving in switches onto perimeter players. Reese was the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year in the inaugural Unrivaled season.One player to keep an eye on that isn't currently listed in the odds is 2019 DPOY Natasha Howard. Howard is helping lead the Lynx to the best defensive rating in the league, which has contributed strongly to them having the best record in the league. If they remain at or near the top at both categories, I expect the Lynx to get at least one player in contention for this award. Howard, Miles and Courtney Williams would all be candidates, but Howard leads the team in on-court/off-court plus-minus by a solid margin and already has one DPOY on the mantle, so she could be the one.Most Improved PlayerLeader: Jessica Shepard (+400)In the hunt: Carla Leite (+600), Bridget Carleton (+600), Dominique Malonga (+700)Long shots of interest: Kamilla Cardoso (+1400), Aneesah Morrow (+1500), Sonia Citron (+2500), Brittney Sykes (+2500), Marina Mabrey (+2500), Janelle Salaun (+2500)This is the most wide open award, with the most room for risers and fallers as the season goes along. Shepard is the early leader based on her amazing stretch of play from May 18-28 in which she averaged 14.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG and 7.2 APG with five straight double-doubles, including two triple-doubles. Shepard's last triple-double was historic: 22 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists. The biggest impediment to Sheppard winning, though, could be the eventual return of 2024 and 2025 MVP runner-up Collier, who could eat into Shepard's role and numbers in the second half of the season.The other players listed as either "in the hunt" or "long shots of interest" are all worthy of paying attention to as well. This group is largely either young players showing natural improvement (e.g. Malonga, Cardoso, Morrow, Citron, Salaun), veterans getting larger roles on expansion teams (Carleton, Sykes, Mabrey) or a combination of both (Leite). Any could provide long-term value, but the category is volatile and could change in a hurry. For that reason, the long shots might have more value with a reasonable chance to win and enough juice to make even small bets worthwhile.Sixth Player of the YearLeader: Chennedy Carter (-400)Long shots of interest: Janelle Salaun (+1000), Aneesah Morrow (+1500), Cameron Brink (+2000)Carter is the biggest favorite in any of the award categories, joining Miles (-250 for Rookie of the Year) as the only odds-on favorites. Carter is averaging 17.5 PPG to lead all players off the bench, and she is doing so while shooting a whopping 65.1% from the field. Carter averaged a similar 17.5 PPG in 2024, her last season in the league, so this is a scoring pace she should be able to maintain. And she's producing at such a high level for the defending champion Aces, who are expected to contend for the best record in the league again this season.Salaun, Morrow and Brink are all young players expressing their talent on the big stage, but each would have to make a significant jump to get back into contention with Carter for this award.
