When you think of the WNBA’s best players, who comes to mind?

A’ja Wilson, who has won four MVP awards in the last six years, is probably on the list, as are the 2024 and 2025 No. 1 overall picks, Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers. Some WNBA players have established themselves as household names, while others continue to fly under the radar.

But who are the league’s most underrated players?

It’s a tricky question because the concept of a player being underrated can be interpreted in several ways; a player might be considered underrated because they’ve been flying under the radar (think low name recognition), or they might be considered underrated because they do get a lot of attention, but the general public still doesn’t realize how good they actually are.

With both of those criteria in mind, here are my picks for the WNBA’s most underrated players at the moment.

Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx had three All-Stars this season — Natasha Howard, Courtney Williams and Olivia Miles — and now they have Napheesa Collier, too, a perennial MVP candidate.

But McBride has been the player on the Lynx who often is most overlooked. She’s currently averaging 17.8 points per game while shooting 46% from the field and 40.3% from three. She has the 4th-highest plus-minus in the entire WNBA, and was Minnesota’s leading scorer for 8 consecutive games last month.

McBride is 34 years old, so she’s been around for a long time. Maybe that’s part of why her greatness is sometimes overlooked. But the Lynx would not be where they are right now without her.

Shakira Austin, Washington Mystics

Everyone talks about the Washington Mystics’ duo of elite sophomores, Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron, and rightfully so — both have been spectacular.

But Shakira Austin has been incredible, too. Austin, who for years dealt with a myriad of injuries, is averaging 15.5 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. She’s the Mystics’ second-leading scorer, leading rebounder, and leading shot blocker. Austin has appeared in all but one game this season and has been a major reason Washington is currently in the playoff mix.

Kiah Stokes, Golden State Valkyries

Kiah Stokes’ stats don’t jump off the page, but when you watch the Valkyries play, it becomes clear that she has been absolutely critical to their success on the defensive end. Stokes has filled in for Iliana Rupert as Golden State’s starting center, and while she’s only averaging 3.7 points and 5.2 rebounds, her real impact has been on the defensive end.

Stokes has the best defensive rating on the team — a 96.3 — and Golden State has looked like a different team on that end in her 22.3 minutes per game. Stokes is one of those players you have to watch a whole lot of in order to truly appreciate.

Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream

This one might surprise some readers, since Reese is one of the most popular and well-known players in the WNBA. Reese is a three-time All-Star and has received lots of recognition for her rebounding prowess. But there’s still a popular notion that Reese isn’t actually a great basketball player, and that her off-court gigs (modelling, podcast, etc) are why she’s famous.

The truth couldn’t be further from that, and it’s very clear when you watch Reese play. The 24-year-old is an elite defender, and she plays with a motor few — if any — WNBA players rival. She’s averaging 15.8 points per game (19th-most in the WNBA among players with at least 15 games) and 11.6 boards per game (second-most). She’s the best offensive rebounder in the league, grabbing 5.1 o-boards per game.

Her +4.2 net rating is the 18th-best in the league. Reese deserves to end up on an All-WNBA team this season, and she has way outperformed her No. 7 draft spot.

Natisha Hiedeman, Seattle Storm

Like Reese, Natisha Hiedeman is known for more than just basketball. The 29-year-old Storm guard makes up one half of the Studbudz, the popular Twitch streaming duo that’s taken the WNBA world by storm (no pun intended). But Hiedeman is also a hooper, and she’s in the middle of by far the best season of her WNBA career.

The 5’8 guard is averaging 16.4 points per game on 45.7% shooting, while hitting 34.6% from beyond the arc. For reference, previously, her career-high in points per game was 9.1, set last year in a big-time season for the Minnesota Lynx.

Hiedeman signed a two-year, $1.525 million contract with the Storm in the offseason, and some considered that an overpay. But she’s been absolutely balling for Seattle, and if the Storm were winning more games, more would probably realize.

Which WNBA players would you consider to be underrated?

These days, it feels like the WNBA’s most elite players are competing for MVP runner-up. That’s because A’ja Wilson — who has won the award in four of the last six seasons — continues to outdo herself, year after year.

This WNBA season, Wilson is averaging 26.8 points (the second-highest of her career) and 9.8 rebounds (the third-highest). She’s shooting 53.2% from the field (the second-highest of her career) and 43.8% from three (the highest). And, she’s averaging a career-high 3.2 assists per game.

Wilson has the highest plus-minus by a non-Minnesota Lynx player (the Aces are outscoring opponents by 8 points per game with her on the floor). And Las Vegas has the second-best record in the WNBA.

So, there’s no doubt she’d be very deserving of a historic fifth MVP award.

At the same time, the 23-year-old Olivia Miles has made as compelling a case for MVP as anyone. When you watch her play, she feels like an MVP. It’s in the way she carries herself, how she creates for others, and, above all, it’s in how she’s powered a team that has by far been the best in the WNBA.

The case for Olivia Miles for MVP

Let’s take a look at the numbers. Miles has the second-highest plus-minus in the entire WNBA (+8.6), trailing only teammate Natasha Howard. She’s averaging 19.7 points, the 8th-most in the WNBA (among players with at least 16 games). She’s shooting 50.2% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc. She’s averaging 5.8 assists per game (also the 8th-most in the WNBA).

While those stats are gaudy, they don’t tell the whole story. Miles affects every possession; she controls Minnesota’s pace, creates high-quality shots for Kayla McBride, Courtney Williams, and Natasha Howard, among others, and dictates how opposing teams prepare for the Lynx.

But Miles’ case most heavily rests upon just how good Minnesota has been. The Lynx are a ridiculous 24-5 with her in the lineup; they’re 1-2 without her. They have won a franchise-record 10 straight games, and during that stretch, Miles is averaging 21.5 points, 6 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, while shooting 45.5% from beyond the arc.

On Sunday afternoon, in a marquee match-up between the Lynx and the Indiana Fever, Miles was dynamic, tallying 28 points on a ridiculous 11-of-14 shooting to go along with 6 assists and 4 rebounds. Her and-one layup with just under a minute to play ultimately secured the win.

If the Lynx continue to separate themselves in the standings — they currently have a 4-game lead over the Aces — Miles’ case will be bolstered. Though it’ll be hard for anyone to win MVP with Wilson playing the way that she has, amazingly, Miles has a legitimate pathway to the award in her rookie season.

Regardless, it’s been a sensational season for the former Notre Dame standout. Miles, who was selected No. 2, has almost undoubtedly secured the Rookie of the Year award. And, most importantly, with her at the helm, the Lynx have a legitimate chance at their first WNBA title in the Napheesa Collier era.

The Los Angeles Sparks are trading Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick, per ESPN. Plum, a five-time All-Star, is averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists per game this season — both career-highs — but she’s appeared in just 12 games due to a litany of lower-leg injuries.

Plum was long-rumored to be in trade talks ahead of Sunday’s midseason trade deadline; the Sparks are 10-17 and losers of 6 straight games (all without Plum). If she was unlikely to re-sign this offseason, as was widely reported, Los Angeles had to trade her to recoup some value for their top asset.

Now, they’ll lean back into the rebuild, acquiring a prospective lottery pick in next year’s draft and a promising young player in Akoa Makani.

The Mercury are 11-19 and currently sit six games out of the playoff race. Plum immediately provides them with a massive offensive boost. But was it worth giving up draft capital for a potential one-year rental?

Here are the biggest potential winners and losers from the blockbuster trade that sent Kelsey Plum to Phoenix.

Potential Winner: Los Angeles Sparks

The Sparks shouldn’t have made the Kelsey Plum deal two years ago. Instead, they should have leaned into the rebuild, drafted Dominique Malonga — who is already an All-Star — and built for the future. But they went all-in, it backfired, and it’s time to course-correct. While the return for Plum wasn’t massive, it’s still sizable, especially when she was likely to walk away for nothing this offseason. Now, they’ll have two top picks in 2027 — their own and Phoenix’s — and begin to truly rebuild, albeit a few years delayed.

Akoa Makani, who was an undrafted rookie last year, is a sneaky big part of this deal, too. She is averaging 9.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game this season, while continuing to establish herself as a strong perimeter defender.

Potential Loser: Golden State Valkyries

The Valkyries still seem to be a piece away from championship contention, though this roster has been pretty successful as-is. But Plum was long rumored to land in Golden State, and trading for her at the trade deadline seemed like a feasible pathway forward.

Could the Valkyries have acquired Plum for a few picks and a young player? Golden State has the assets, but clearly didn’t prioritize going all-in.

That move may pay off long-term, but it’s also possible that Golden State will regret not trading for one of the league’s top guards when they had the chance. They’re currently 19-10 — owners of the WNBA’s third-best record — but have lost two straight. If they suffer an early playoff exit this season, the decision to not go all-in for Plum will be revisited. At the same time, if Golden State learned Plum was unlikely to re-sign in the offseason, the decision to not go for her makes perfect sense.

Potential Winner: Kelsey Plum

The Los Angeles Sparks are going nowhere this season; that much is clear. So, it’s inherently a win for Plum to head elsewhere. Phoenix is not too far from home, and while they’re out of the playoff mix right now, they’re trending upwards, having split their last 14 games and winning three of their last four. There were better win-now destinations for Plum, but the worst-case scenario would have been not getting traded at the deadline at all.

Potential Loser: The Phoenix Mercury

The deal could be fruitful if Plum signs a long-term extension with the franchise. But if she walks in the offseason, it’s a disastrous move for the Mercury, who give up one of their most consistent young players as well as critical future draft capital. It’s especially risky because Phoenix is unlikely to make the playoffs this season, so in a worst-case scenario, Plum is a one-year rental on a team that won’t even make the postseason.

But in a best-case scenario, a roster headlined by Alyssa Thomas and Kahleah Copper — and fresh off a WNBA Finals appearance — adds one of the league’s best guards for the long term. The effectiveness of this move will be measured based on whether Plum signs an extension.