Happy WNBA Preseason tip-off day! We’re picking up right where we left off counting down the Top 50 WNBA players entering the 2025 season. Much like we did with the NBA player ranking entering this year, this serves as more of a spotlight on the players that make up this great league and to serve as a formal way of introducing a larger audience to them.

We’re releasing this series in five parts, highlighting ten players each. If you missed the first part, you can access it here.

As a reminder, we won’t be including any rookies in this list. We also want to make things clear that this is our rankings of these players GOING INTO the 2025 WNBA Season. This is not a prediction article, this is a “where are they now?” article.

With that being said, let’s continue our list.

40. Cameron Brink/F/Los Angeles Sparks

Cameron Brink’s rookie campaign met a swift end after only 15 games, but in her time on the court she showcased tremendous value on the defensive end. She was 2nd in the league in blocks per game at 2.3 prior to a season-ending ACL tear.

Though she’s still expected to miss the first part of this upcoming season, when she’s back she will quickly etch her name back atop the league’s best interior defenders.

39. NaLyssa Smith/F/Dallas Wings

The third-year Forward has found her way onto a new team for the first time in her career, leaving Indiana for Dallas amongst an offseason trade. NaLyssa Smith did see a decline in her counting stat production over the last season, but truly took a step forward in terms of efficiency.

She averaged her career highs in field goal percentage (48%), steals per game (0.8) and blocks per game (1.0). And she also showed career lows in turnovers per game (1.3) and fouls per game (2.7). Entering a new system in Dallas, I think she’s ready to remind the world why she was the second overall pick just three years ago.

38. Ariel Atkins/G/Chicago Sky

Ariel Atkins has been a defensive ace since entering the league in 2018. For the Mystics she became a two-time all-star, a 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist and made five consecutive All-Defensive teams from 2018 to 2022.

Her defense is still legit, but her offense has risen a bit more as her role has risen, but now she’s found a new home in Chicago. Coming off a season averaging 14.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game, she’s sure to fill the void left in the Sky’s backcourt by Chennedy Carter.

37. Jordin Canada/G/Atlanta Dream

Jordin Canada cemented herself as a household name two years ago finishing top three in the Most Improved Player race and earning a spot on the All-Defensive First Team list, and her first year in Atlanta proved to be more of the same.

Though her shooting splits took a bit of a hit, she still averaged 10.6 points and 5.8 assists per game and played a key role in the Dream’s playoff push towards the end of the season. With their offseason acquisitions, Canada will be a driving force this season for their upwards trajectory.

36. Courtney Williams/G/Minnesota Lynx

Courtney Williams is entering her tenth season in the WNBA and she’s started to carve out her role as a defensive-oriented, do-it-all guard for the Lynx. Last season she averaged 11.1 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game.

The biggest question mark for her game moving forward is her three-point percentage, but Williams uncharacteristically turned into a bit of a sharpshooter in the Lynx’s WNBA Finals run, shooting 44.4% from three.

35. Tiffany Hayes/G/Golden State Valkyries

The reigning Sixth Woman of the Year finds herself part of the WNBA’s newest franchise, the Golden State Valkyries. Tiffany Hayes’ counting stats doesn’t exactly jump off the stat sheet, with averages of 9.5 points and 2.8 rebounds per game. But where the 13-year vet excels is her efficiency.

Hayes shot 50% from the field and 40.2% from three last season, being a key contributor for a depleted Las Vegas Aces roster. Now in San Francisco, the Valkyries are sure to use her leadership, high basketball IQ and defensive intangibles to develop an identity for the organization.

34. Natasha Cloud/G/New York Liberty

The long-awaited point guard fit for the Liberty was found this offseason following the acquisition of Natasha Cloud. Cloud, entering her 10th season in the W, has found her niche as a two-way playmaker in Washington and Phoenix over the past few seasons.

Last year she averaged 11.5 points and 6.9 assists per game, good enough for third in the league in assists. She was also named to the All-Defensive second-team and will fill that hardnose backcourt defender spot to aid their star guard Sabrina Ionescu.

33. Tina Charles/C/Connecticut Sun

Tina Charles is a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, her career is already stamped. A former MVP, nine-time All-WNBA team member and four-time All-Defensive team member. But even in her 13th season, she was able to provide a huge impact for the Dream last season.

She started in 39 games, averaging 14.9 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. She also moved into second on the all-time scoring list and first on the all-time rebounding list, AND set Atlanta franchise records in rebounds and double-doubles in a season.

She’s now back where her career began, in Connecticut serving as an experienced veteran for a new era of Sun basketball led by their seventh overall pick Aneesah Morrow.

32. Marina Mabrey/G/Connecticut Sun

Speaking of the Sun, their trade deadline acquisition of Marina Mabrey proved to be worth the move. In 16 games in Connecticut, Mabrey averaged 14.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game on a highly efficient 46.7% from the field and 42.4% from beyond the arc.

A year ago, she was seen as the missing piece for a team pushing into contention. But now she sees herself as likely the best player on a team going through a rebuild, and she will definitely take a step up individual.

31. Ezi Magbegor/F/Seattle Storm

Ezi Magbegor made a name for herself as an all-star in 2023 due to her increased offensive role in Seattle. And for this season, she took a bit of a backseat on offense and opted to fully focus on defense.

She ranked third in the league in blocks per game only behind Cameron Brink and A’ja Wilson. And ultimately finished as a member of the All-WNBA First team and placed third for the Defensive Player of the Year award. She’s the cornerstone for the Storm’s defense and should be recognized for her efforts.

That’s all we have for the second part of this Top 50 countdown, and if you want to catch some WNBA Preseason action make sure to check out WNBA League Pass for the free season previews through the preseason.

Tonight, Paige Bueckers makes her preseason debut for the Dallas Wings against A’ja Wilson and the new-look Aces at 7 p.m. EST. Then, Angel Reese and Hailey Van Lith return to the Bayou at LSU as the Chicago Skywill take on the Brazilian National Team at 9 p.m. EST.

Make sure to stay tuned to our website for some more WNBA preseason previews!

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