The WNBA is at its peak currently, as the women’s game has evolved to astronomical heights, but some great pioneers have influenced the game at a high level. This list of the Top 5 players of all-time is one of the difficult lists because there are so many great players in this league’s history that many people don’t even know. After all, the popularity of the game wasn’t as high as it is now. So with all of that being said, here is my list of the Top 5 WNBA Players of All Time.
1. Diana Taurasi
The first player on my list is the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer at 10,646, points. She retired in February after 20 years in the W, former Phoenix Mercury Guard Diana Taurasi. Taurasi averaged 18.8 points per game during her career, along with winning 3 WNBA Championships with the Mercury. She was the league MVP in 2009, along with a 5x Scoring Champion as well. Her fire and Mamba Mentality make her one of the standout players over the years in the WNBA. She will go down as the best guard ever for a while until either Caitlin Clark or Paige Bueckers takes that mantle from her eventually.
2. Candace Parker
Parker revolutionized the league for years along with Taurasi in the late 2000s, through the 2010s, and early 2020s. Parker is also a 3X Champion, a 2X League MVP, a 7X All-Star, 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, along with many other accolades throughout her career. Parker’s career includes her prime in LA, a coming-home party, and winning the championship in her hometown of Chicago. She won another ring with the Aces in her final season. Parker is one of those players all-time that you think about. She made the game so easy, especially during her years in Los Angeles.
3. Breanna Stewart
Stewart leaps into my top three of all time after winning last year’s WNBA championship with the Liberty. Stewie is probably the most dynamic player in the game today with everything that she does on the floor for the Liberty. The 3X Champion is one of the league’s best players. She is climbing the all-time ranks every day as she looks to repeat alongside her teammates in New York. Stewie is a two-time WNBA MVP, also a 2X WNBA Finals MVP as well. The resume matches the placement on this list for the former UConn Huskie.
4. A’ja Wilson
Wilson and Stewart were close on my list for that three-spot, as both have been the model of what the best player in the league currently looks like for the last number of years. Wilson is one of those players who has multiple championships and multiple MVP awards. She is a three-time MVP award winner.
In her career, Wilson averages 21.1 points per game over her 7-year career. Wilson and the Aces underwent some changes this offseason as they lost Kelsey Plum. They will look to bounce back this upcoming season after a disappointing loss to the Liberty in the playoffs last year.
5. Lisa Leslie
The Hall of Famer is the pioneer. I think of her from the early 2000s era. She was one of the first women to dunk the basketball in a live game, a three-time MVP, two-time champion, and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. To some of the younger audience is probably known more for her appearance in the Uncle Drew film in 2018, but Leslie was the best player in the league for a long time until Parker and Taurasi arrived and got into their primes and carried her legacy on.
Conclusion
Here are some honorable mentions starting with Sheryl Swoopes, Sue Bird, Becky Hammon, Lauren Jackson, Swin Cash, and Maya Moore. Moore was on the fringe of this list for me, but Wilson and Stewie took those spots in my opinion. This list was another fun list that I have done on Total Apex Sports, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my opinion on the W’s All-time players. Total Apex Sports is the place to be for not only WNBA news, but the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and NASCAR, among other sports.
