Who will be the first WNBA guard to win MVP this decade?

On Sunday, the league announced A’ja Wilson as the 2025 Women's National Basketball Association’s MVP, marking this as the fourth MVP award of her career. She is the first WNBA player to achieve this accolade.

Throughout the current decade, only forwards have won the MVP award. In 2020, 2022, 2024, and 2025 Wilson won, and during the other two seasons Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones earned the award.

This leaves people questioning who will be the first guard to win this decade and when, if ever?

Caitlin Clark

The most popular choice for the first guard MVP would be Clark. She is a quality player who averaged 19.2 points per game and 8.8 assists per game in her rookie season.

Unfortunately for Indiana Fever fans, Clark has missed a majority of their 2025 season due to a multitude of injuries.

However, when she was healthy, she made a massive impact on her team. Clark led the Fever to the playoffs in her first season after being the worst team in the Eastern Conference in 2023.

Paige Bueckers

Another popular pick after her debut season in the WNBA is University of Connecticut graduate Bueckers.

It doesn't come as a surprise to WNBA fans that another Geno Auriemma prodigy is performing at an MVP level.

Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, Maya Moore, and Breanna Stewart have all won MVP after being coached by Auriemma in college.

Knowing this, it wouldn't be shocking to see Bueckers win the award within the next few years. Her rookie stats of 19.2 PPG and 5.4 APG also support her campaign, as it is likely she will grow in the WNBA.

Sabrina Ionescu

New York Liberty’s Ionescu has proven herself as a quality player on a quality team. The Liberty earned their first championship last season with Ionescu as one of their leaders.

She averaged 16.9 PPG and 5.3 APG throughout the postseason. Ionescu even had a 36-point game against the Atlanta Dream, who only lost by nine points.

Many people don’t give Ionescu the praise she deserves, partly because of the talented players, Stewart and Jones, who play alongside her. However, she is a quality player who has consistently demonstrated her ability to perform, averaging 17 or more points every season since 2022.

Her “flashy” game is up to par with Clark’s game, meaning that Ionescu has to differentiate her game from the Fever guard if she wants to get the attention she needs to score MVP.

Allisha Gray

This South Carolina graduate was coached by the three-time Olympian Dawn Staley, who also coached four-time MVP Wilson. The skills and discipline that many see in Wilson are also seen in Gray.

Gray averaged 18.4 PPG this season on the Dream. Not only did she become their all-time single-season scoring leader in 2025, Gray also became the third-ranked player in the WNBA in three-pointers made (93).

Her consistency after eight years in the league has not changed. She has been a force to be reckoned with for years, but in 2025, she is stronger than ever, averaging 18.4 PPG.

Gray’s ability to grow since her time at the Dallas Wings shows her potential to put up MVP numbers in the seasons to come.

Kelsey Mitchell

Overshadowed by Clark in the 2024 season, Mitchell didn't get the recognition she deserved for her strong performance. Despite averaging 19.2 PPG, the same as Clark, Mitchell earned only six points in MVP voting.

Her performance improved this season as she now averages 20.2 PPG and 3.4 APG. Her presentation earned her 93 points in MVP voting this season, an 87-point increase.

Mitchell has also led the Fever to the second round of the WNBA finals this postseason. She has averaged 23.4 PPG and had a 34-point performance in their first game against the Las Vegas Aces.

The injury-ridden Fever have put up a tough showing in their playoff performance, and Mitchell is leading them in the right direction. Her numbers and showings are proving Mitchell to be MVP caliber if she continues to lead and compete these next few seasons.

Erin Wilder is a second-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, please email eew5390@psu.edu.