A'ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart among WNBA players in 2022 MVP race originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
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The WNBA regular season is quickly coming to a close and before we know it, postseason play will be in full swing. Around the same time, the league will award one player with the honor of most valuable player.
This year’s race has played out as expected -- with A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart rising to the top of the group. The next couple of weeks could play a crucial role in determining which forward picks up their second career MVP honor.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the WNBA MVP and the favorites to win the award.
Who determines the WNBA MVP?
Much like the NBA, the WNBA leaves the decision of league MVP up to a group of sportswriters and broadcasters. Voters are asked to rank their top-five choices on a sliding scale. The player with the highest total score is named KIA WNBA MVP.
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The point values for each placeholder are as follows:
1st place: 10 points
2nd place: 7 points
3rd place: 5 points
4th place: 3 points
5th place: 1 point
The number of voters changes every year, but it typically hovers just under 50.
When is the WNBA MVP awarded?
Historically, the league announces the MVP about a week or two after the end of the regular season. The last slate of regular season games are scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 14, meaning an announcement will likely be made by the end of the month.
Who are the favorites to win the WNBA MVP?
It’s basically a two-woman race between A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, both former MVPs themselves.
Stewart won the award in 2018, and Wilson followed in 2020. A win by either of them would make them the sixth WNBA player to win MVP multiple times.
Wilson is currently in her fifth WNBA season, all spent with the Las Vegas Aces, the No. 1 team in the Western Conference. She’s averaging 19.5 points, 9.4 rebounds and two blocks per game.
Stewart, leading the Seattle Storm, has posted averages of 21.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game to go along with 39.5% shooting from 3.
The two frontrunners also served as captains in the most recent WNBA All-Star Game with Team Wilson getting the 134-112 win.
While Stewart and Wilson are nearly a lock to be the top-two vote-getters, there are several other notable players who could shake things up on the ballot. This group includes Wilson’s teammate Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, reigning league MVP Jonquel Jones and WNBA legend Candace Parker.
