Since the WNBA was founded in 1996, it’s remained, unfortunately, in the shadow of the NBA. For 25 years, women have had to hear about hoꦕw their league was inferior to the NBA, whether from fans or the large discrepancy in their paychecks. But the developers at 2K made the first important step in recognizing♔ the WNBA and giving the women their deserved respect when they .
To take another step forward, NBA 2K22 offers a special WNBA edition to commemorate the league’s 25 years of existence with Candace Parker of the Chicago Sky as the cover athlete. This marked the . In addition, NBA 2K22 sees the , where you can practice with WNBA players to improve your MyPlayer abilitie💙s and become one of theꦓ best players in the league. So who are the top players in the WNBA? Let’s take a look.
9 ღ Sylvia Fowles - 91
Two-Way Inside The Arc Scorer
- Post Defense
- Inside Scoring
- Rebounding
Sylvia Fowles has only gotten better as time has gone on. After turning 31-years-old in 2017, she’s been named an All-Star in four of five seasons, including winning the WNBA championship in 2017 with the Minnesota Lynx. Fowles’s championship in 2017 was her second in three years a🌱nd she was named MVP both times. For her career, Fowles is a near walking double-double, averaging 15.8 poi♌nts and 9.8 rebounds per game.
Fowles is most effective on offense inside (A) or from mid-range (A-). On the opposite side of the court, she’s a lockdown defender on both the perimeter (A) and interior (A+🐓). Compared to other centers in the league, she’s near the top when it comes to rebounding (A+), being able to successfully box out the opposing team.
8 🎃 Liz Cambage - 91
Two-Way Three-Level Scorer
- Inside Scoring
- Mid-Range Scoring
- Post Defense
With how the game of basketball is evolving, more and more centers are developing an outside shot. Liz Cambage looks to lead the way for the next wave of dominant offensive centers who find a way to score virtually anywhere on the court. Cambage started her WNBA career with the Tulsa Shock in 2011, before having a career year with the Dallas Wings in 2018, and she's now a member of the Las Vegas Aces.
There’s no question that Cambage is the best scoring center in the league. She’s basically automatic from under the basket (A+), can connect from mid-range (A), and also buries it from downtown (B). But don&rs🍎quo;t let her offensive potency have you thinking she’s a slug on defense. Cambage is one of the best interior defenders in the WNBA (A+) and▨ even if the opposing offense gets her out on the perimeter, she’s more than capable of locking it down (B).
7 ꧒ Tina Charles - 92
Versatile Paint Beast
- Inside Scoring
- Rebounding
- Post Defense
In most cases, if players are exceptionally gifted at scoring the basketball up close, then they should be relatively decent as they move further away. Well, Tina Charles didn’t get t🌞hat memo. In her first season with the Washington Mystics, Charles recorded career-highs in points per game (24.3), free-throw percentage (81.9), and three-point percentage (36.8).
Offensively, Charles is superb at scoring inside (A+) but also at making it rain from three (B+). Surprisingly, she struggles shooting froไm mid-range (D+), though she’s good a♋t finding the open woman to make a solid play (B-). Charles is among the best rebounders in the league (A+), as well as dominating on defense in both the interior (A+) and out on the perimeter (B-). Her physicality (C) leaves much to be desired, yet, Charles remains one of the best centers in the game.
6 Elena 🧔Delle Donne - 92
Two-Way Three-Level Scorer
- Mid-Range Scoring
- Inside Scoring
- Three-Point Scoring
Winner of the 2019 WNBA MVP, Elena Delle Donne suffered what has been quite a lingering injury. The Washington Mystics star power forward has been but has yet to see the court, or practice, because of linge♏ring nerve pain. Delle Donne played a key factor in the Mystics winning the WNBA championship in 2019 over the Connecticut Sun.
When healthy, Delle Donne is a near-flawless player. She possesses uncanny offensive skills from the inside (A), mid-rඣange (A+), and beyond the arc (A), as well as a stout defense on the perimeter (A) and interior (A). If trapped or double-teamed, Delle Donne can find her open teammate relatively easily (B+) and is an outstanding rebounder (A-). Hopefully, Delle Donne recovers from her nerve injury, because she’s a force to be reckoned with in Washington.
5 Brittney Griner - 92 🐎
Two-Way Finisher
- Post Defense
- Mid-Range Scoring
- Inside Scoring
In just her second season in the WNBA, Brittney Griner helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to their third championship in fra🅘nchise history in 2014. Throughout her nine years in the league, Griner has been named an All-Star in seven of those seasons. She experienced a brief dip in her overall averages in 2020 but has since elevated her game back to her extraordinary standards,🍨 scoring 20.8 points per game.
While Griner is exceptional on offense, being able to score easily from the inside (A) and mid-range (A), her val💫ue lies in her defense. She’s a brick wall underneath the basket, blocking anything that comes near her in the interior (A+), but she can also bottle up opposing offensive players on the perimeter (A-). Compared to other centers in the league, her rebounding is a bit subpar (B+), but in the grand scheme of things still very good.
4 Candace Parker - 93 ๊
Playmaking Paint Beast
- Inside Scoring
- Basketball IQ
- Rebounding
The first woman to grace the cover of NBA 2K, Candace Parker has etched her name in the history books. Initially drafted by the Los Angeles Spark in 2008, Parker left for the Chicago Sky last season. During her time in Los Angeles, Parker was the sparkplug in leading the team to the WNBA Finals in 2016 and winning her firs🐬t ring over the Minnesota Lynx. Parker and the Spark returned to the Finals the following season but fell to the Lynx in a rematch.
In NBA 2K22, Parker is extremely balanced in both her offenseᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ and defense. She excels at scoring inside (A), but has the offensive capabilities to shoot the ball from mid-range (B) and from deep (B). On the opposite end of the court, Parker’s sturdy in protecting the rim underneath (A) and also defending on the perimeter (A-). Parker separates herself from the other players on this list with her playmaking ability (A). For a power forward, she possesses unique awareness on the court and is able to find her open teammate for an easy bucket.
3 🌸 Jonquel Jones - 94 ❀
Two-Way Scoring Machine
- Inside Scoring
- Mid-Range Scoring
- Rebounding
Drafted by the Connecticut Sun in 2016, Jonquel Jones🌺 has quickly risen among the best power forwards in the WNBA. In 2021, Jones has recorded career-highs in points per game (19.5) and assists per game (2.8). Although the Sun wasn’t able to cash in on a championship in 2019 against the Washington Mystics, Jones was influential in the team reaching the Finals for the first time since 2005.
On the court, Jones is one of the best offensive threats in the league. She’s automatic from down low (A) and🎀 from mid-range (A), while also knocking down the occasional three-ball (A-). Her overall defense is amazing, being able to front defenders out on the perimeter (B+) and down in the post (A). And when her opponent bricks a shot, sheღ’s one of the best rebounders in the league (A+), having averaged double-digit rebounds in two of her five seasons in Connecticut.
2 𓆉 A’ja Wilson - 94
Two-Way Inside The Arc Scorer
- Inside Scoring
- Rebounding
- Mid-Range Scoring
At only 24-years-old, it’s remarkable how dominant A&rsquಌo;ja Wilson already is in the WNBA. Drafted by the Las Vegas Aces in 2018, Wilson has been named an All-Star in three of her four WNBA seasons. Last year, Wilson helped lead the Aces to the franchise’s first appearance in the WNBA Finals, but ultimately fell to Breanna Stewart and the Seattle Storm.
Wilson is already an offensive threat with plenty of time to continue to improve her game. Right now, she’s almost a guaranteed bucket from the inside (A+) and mid-range (A), though her three-point shooting (C+) needs some work. On defense, Wilson is one of the top rim-protectors (A+) and can also stifle opposing offenses on the perimeter (B). If Wilson continues to improve,💝 there’s a good chance she’ll one day be recognized as the best player in the league.
1 𓆉 Breanna Stewart - 95 🍒
Two-Way Three-Level Scorer
- Inside Scoring
- Three-Point Scoring
- Mid-Range Scoring
Coming out of college, Breanna Stewart was regarded as one of the best prospects in women’s basketball history. Drafted by the Seattle Storm first overall in 2016, Stewart nearly averaged a double-double in her first season with 18.3 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, en route to winning Rookie of the Year honors. In 2018, Stewart recorded career-high averages in points (21.8), three-point percentage (41.5), and overall field-goal percentage (58.9), which was enough to earn Stewart her first MVP award and first WNBA championship. Stewart and the Storm didn't manage to defend their title in 2019, but they were crowned once again in 2020.
In NBA 2K22, there just isn’t anyone better than Stewart. She’s one of the best three-point shooters in the league (A+), while also able to score the basketball from at the rim (A+) and mid-range (A-). She plays suffocating defense in the interior (A+) and out on th𝄹e perimeter (B+), and also has reliable hands to secure loose boards (B+). But most importantly, Stewart is the only player in the game w꧂ith an A+ potential rating, making it clear that the 26-year-old is not only the best player on the Storm but also in the entire WNBA.