The Women's National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) award given since the league's inaugural season in 1997. MVP voting takes place immediately after the regular season. The award recipient is decided by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States. Panel members were asked to select their top five choices for the award, with 10 points being awarded for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one for fifth.
In 2008, both media members and fans contributed to MVP voting. Fans were able to vote online for their top five MVP picks. Online fan vote selections accounted for 25% of the total vote, while the media panel's selections accounted for the other 75%.
A'ja Wilson has won the award the most times, with four; Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, and Lauren Jackson have each won three times. Two players have won the award with different franchises—Elena Delle Donne in 2015 with the Chicago Sky and in 2019 with the Washington Mystics, and Breanna Stewart in 2018 with the Seattle Storm and in 2023 with the New York Liberty. Cynthia Cooper and Candace Parker have also won the award twice.
Candace Parker became the only WNBA player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season in 2008.
Jackson, born and trained in Australia, is the only award winner trained outside the U.S.
The sculptor of the WNBA MVP Award is Marc Mellon, who is also the sculptor of the NBA MVP trophy.
Winners Legend Denotes player who is still active in the WNBA *Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame† Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame ‡Denotes player whose team won championship that yearPlayer (X)Denotes the number of times the player has been named MVPTeam (X)Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won Season Player Position Nationality Team First-Place Votes Ref. 1997 ‡ * Guard Houston Comets37 out of 37 1998 ‡ * (2) Houston Comets (2)37 out of 45 1999 * Center Sacramento Monarchs23 out of 51 2000 ‡ * Guard / Forward Houston Comets (3)38 out of 62 2001 ‡ * Center Los Angeles Sparks51 out of 60 2002 * (2) Guard / Forward Houston Comets (4)29 out of 60 2003 * Forward / Center Seattle Storm23 out of 54 2004 * (2) Center Los Angeles Sparks (2)33 out of 48 2005 * (3) Guard / Forward Houston Comets (5)16 out of 50 2006 * (3) Center Los Angeles Sparks (3) 40 out of 55 2007 * (2) Forward / Center Seattle Storm (2) 42 out of 48 2008 * Forward Los Angeles Sparks (4) 276.79 out of 300 pts 2009 ‡† Guard Phoenix Mercury 27 out of 39 2010 ‡ * (3) Forward / Center Seattle Storm (3) 22 out of 39 2011 * Forward Indiana Fever 21 out of 40 2012† Center Connecticut Sun 25 out of 41 2013 * (2) Forward Los Angeles Sparks (5) 10 out of 39 2014 * Minnesota Lynx 35 out of 38 2015 * Guard / Forward Chicago Sky 38 out of 39 2016 ‡ ForwardLos Angeles Sparks (6)31 out of 39 2017 ‡ * Center Minnesota Lynx (2) 35 out of 40 2018 ‡ Forward Seattle Storm (4) 33 out of 39 2019 ‡ * (2) Guard / Forward Washington Mystics 41 out of 43 2020 Forward Las Vegas Aces 43 out of 47 2021 Forward / Center / Connecticut Sun (2) 48 out of 49 2022 ‡ (2) Forward Las Vegas Aces (2) 31 out of 56 2023 (2) New York Liberty 20 out of 60 2024 (3) Las Vegas Aces (3) 67 out of 67 ‡ (4) Center Las Vegas Aces (4)51 out of 72
Multi-time winners
AwardsPlayerTeam(s)Years4A'ja WilsonLas Vegas Aces2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 3 Sheryl SwoopesHouston Comets2000, 2002, 2005 Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks 2001, 2004, 2006 Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm 2003, 2007, 2010 2 Cynthia Cooper Houston Comets 1997, 1998Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks 2008, 2013 Elena Delle Donne Chicago Sky / Washington Mystics 2015, 2019 Breanna Stewart Seattle Storm / New York Liberty 2018, 2023
Teams Awards Teams Years6Los Angeles Sparks, , , , , 5Houston Comets, , , , 4Seattle Storm, , , Las Vegas Aces, , , 2Minnesota Lynx, Connecticut Sun, 1Sacramento MonarchsPhoenix MercuryIndiana FeverChicago SkyWashington MysticsNew York Liberty0Dallas WingsN/AAtlanta DreamGolden State Valkyries
See also
List of sports awards honoring women
References
External links