WNBA GM Survey: Las Vegas Aces Repeat As Champs, A’ja Again League MVP
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 at 01:59PM By Barry Janoff
May 5, 2026: The 2026 WNBA GM Survey asked the WNBA’s 15 general managers to assess the best teams, players, coaches, offseason moves and more, prior to the league’s 30th season.
Reigning Kia WNBA Most Valuable Player A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces was selected as the player most likely to win the MVP honor this season, The Wilson-led Aces were also named the favorite to repeat as WNBA champions.
The GMs responded to 42 questions and were not permitted to vote for their own team or personnel. Percentages are based on the pool of respondents to that particular question.
Wilson — who last season led Las Vegas to its third WNBA championship in four years while earning a record fourth Kia WNBA MVP Award — received 60% of the MVP votes from the GMs.
Two-time Kia WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty) was next with 27%, followed by the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and the Atlanta Dream’s Allisha Gray (7% each).
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The Aces received 40% of the votes as the team most likely to win the WNBA championship. New York finished second (33%), and Atlanta third (27%).
Wilson was also named the league’s best leader (79%), best interior defender (73%), best overall defensive player (53%) and the player who forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (60%).
In addition, she shared the top spot with Aces teammate Chelsea Gray as the player the general managers would trust most to take a game-winning shot (36% each).
Reigning Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Paige Bueckers (Dallas Wings) received 33% of the votes as the player the GMs would choose to build around if starting a franchise today. Clark and Wilson tied for second (20% each).
Olivia Miles, selected by the Minnesota Lynx as the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA Draft 2026 presented by State Street Investment Management SPY, was named the player most likely to win the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (73%).
She was followed by Azzi Fudd (20%), who was selected by Dallas with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft 2026.
No. 3 overall pick Awa Fam (Seattle Storm) was viewed as the rookie who will be the best player in five years (67%); Miles finished second (33%).
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve earned 53% of the votes as the league’s best head coach, topping Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon (40%).
Two-time All-Star Angel Reese, acquired by the Dream in an off-season trade with Chicago, and 2025 All-Star Gabby Williams, who signed with the Golden State Valkyries as a free agent, shared the top spot as the player acquisition that will make the biggest impact this season.
Sue Bird, a 13-time All-Star, received the most votes as the retired player not coaching in the WNBA who should be; Seimone Augustus, Candace Parker and Katie Smith tied for second (14% each).
(Editor’s note: The survey and that question were completed before WNBA icon Tina Charles said she was retiring.)
Golden State was voted as having the best home-court advantage (64%. Indiana ranked second (21%), and New York third (14%).
See full results here.
The schedule for the WNBA’s 30th anniversary season, which begins May 8, represents the start of the league’s new media rights deals, which features the renewal of partnerships with The Walt Disney Company (ABC/ESPN), Amazon Prime Video, CBS Sports/Paramount+, and Scripps (ION); new partners NBCUniversal (NBC/Peacock/NBCSN) and USA Sports (USA Network; and the continuation of distribution of games on NBA TV.
“The WNBA is coming off a landmark season in 2025, one that was defined by incredible basketball and countless memorable performances,” commissioner Cathy Engelbert said via the WNBA.
“With an incredible 2026 draft and so many notable free agency signings and trades now giving way to the start of the season, the WNBA’s unprecedented lineup of linear and streaming partners will shine a light on must-see matchups, and the remarkable skills the WNBA’s stars provide each time they step on the court.”
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