2023’s Top Women’s Basketball Players

When it comes to talent and skill, the Women’s National Basketball Association’s top players right now are the most exceptional. In terms of points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and most other statistical categories, these female basketball players are in the top spots for both their teams and the league. Many will be regarded as among the greatest WNBA players of all time, if they aren’t already. WNBA players are still highly skilled players in terms of talent per unit, even if the league does not have the same recognition as other basketball leagues.

• Breanna Stewart

Birthplace: Syracuse, New York

Teams: Seattle Storm

A basketball player who played for the Seattle Storm of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), Breanna Mackenzie Stewart was born in the United States on August 27, 1994. Stewart won three Gatorade awards in high school: McDonald’s All-American, Gatorade Female Athlete, and National Gatorade Player of the Year. She was a four-time Final Four MVP, a three-time consensus national player of the year, and she guided the University of Connecticut (UConn) Huskies to four national titles. Named the 2016 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Stewart was selected with the first overall choice in the 2016 WNBA Draft. As an All-Star in 2017, 2018, and 2021, she won the WNBA MVP award in 2018. 

• A’ja Riyadh Wilson

Birthplace: Hopkins, South Carolina

Teams: Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) are led by American professional basketball player A’ja Riyadh Wilson, who was born on August 8, 1996. In her collegiate career, Wilson was a member of the South Carolina Gamecocks, where she won the Most Outstanding Player title in the NCAA Basketball Tournament and assisted in leading the team to its first NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship in 2017. She became the all-time highest scorer in South Carolina women’s basketball history in 2018, won a record-tying third consecutive SEC Player of the Year award, guided the team to a record-tying fourth consecutive SEC Tournament Championship, and was selected as a unanimous first-team All-American for the third straight season. As the greatest player in women’s college basketball for 2018, Wilson won every National Player of the Year award available, including the Wade, AP, Honda, USBWA, Wooden, and Naismith. She was selected first overall by the Aces in the 2018 WNBA draft. In 2020, Wilson won the WNBA MVP award and her first gold medal at the Olympics in the Summer Olympics.

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• Sabrina Lonescu

Birthplace: Walnut Creek, California

Teams: New York Liberty

Born on December 6, 1997, Sabrina Elaine Ionescu is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, the New York Liberty. She represented the Oregon Ducks in collegiate basketball.(Source: ) She is the only NCAA Division I basketball player to have recorded 2,000 points, 1,000 assists, and 1,000 rebounds in a career. She also holds the Pac-12 Conference record for assists. She is also the NCAA’s all-time leader in triple-doubles.

• Kelsey Plum

Birthplace: Poway, California

Teams: Las Vegas Aces

American professional basketball player Kelsey Christine Plum was born on August 24, 1994, and currently plays for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team, the Las Vegas Aces. In women’s 3×3 basketball at the 2020 Summer Olympics, she took home a gold medal.

• Elena Delle Donne

Birthplace: Wilmington, Delaware

Teams: Washington Mystics

American professional basketball player Elena Delle Donne was born on September 5, 1989. She plays for the Washington Mystics of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Between 2009 and 2013, Delle Donne enjoyed a prosperous collegiate basketball career with the Delaware Blue Hens. In the 2013 WNBA Draft, she was selected by the Chicago Sky with the second overall choice. She helped the Sky go to the 2014 WNBA Finals, where they were defeated by the Phoenix Mercury.

• Nneka Ogwumike

Birthplace: Tomball, Texas

Teams: Los Angeles Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) roster features American-Nigerian basketball player Nnemkadi “Nneka” Ogwumike, who was selected first overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft. Ogwumike was born on July 2, 1990. Ogwumike secured an endorsement contract with Nike not long after being picked. She is Chiney Ogwumike’s older sister; Chiney is a Sparks player. Aside from leading her team to the WNBA Finals, Ogwumike was voted the 2016 WNBA MVP. Additionally, she performs for Russia’s Dynamo Kursk. The Igbo meaning of her name, Nneka, is “Mother is Supreme.” She plays power forward and is 6′ 2″. Leading her senior team to a 5A State Championship, she was a student at Cypress-Fairbanks High School in Cypress, Texas. She assisted the Stanford Cardinal in four Final Four appearances while she was a student there. In the WNBA Players Association, Ogwumike was chosen as President in 2016.

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• Jonquel Jones

Birthplace: Freeport, The Bahamas

Teams: Connecticut Sun

A professional basketball player for the Connecticut Sun of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), Jonquel Orthea Jones was born on January 5, 1994, and is of Bahamian and Bosnian descent. In the 2016 WNBA Draft, she was chosen with the sixth overall selection. She is eligible to play for the national team because, as of May 2019, she is also a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Playing college basketball for George Washington and Clemson, Jones was a 6’6″ power forward/center.

• Candace Parker

Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri

Teams: Chicago Sky

American professional basketball player Candace Nicole Parker was born on April 19, 1986. She now plays for the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team Chicago Sky. She was selected first overall in the WNBA Draft in 2008. Parker, along with other celebrities like Nneka Ogwumike and Alana Beard, helped the Sparks win their first WNBA Finals championship since 2002 in 2016. Parker became the second junior and the only female to win the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award twice while in high school, taking home the trophy in 2003 and 2004. Parker’s accomplishments include a 2016 WNBA title, two WNBA MVP Awards (2008, 2013), the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award (2008), the WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), and two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012). Parker was the first player to win both the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award and Rookie of the Year in the same season. He has been selected to six all-WNBA teams and five all-star teams.

• Emma Meesseman

Birthplace: Ypres, Belgium

Teams: Chicago Sky

Emma Meesseman, a Belgian professional basketball player, was born on May 13, 1993. She currently plays for the Chicago Sky of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and UMMC Ekaterinburg of the Russian Premier League. Meesseman was selected by the Washington Mystics with the 19th overall choice in the second round of the 2013 WNBA draft, following her time spent playing basketball in Belgium. She has also represented other European professional teams as well as the Belgian national team. She was selected the 2019 WNBA Finals MVP as well as the 2011 FIBA Europe Young Women’s Player of the Year.

• Skylar Diggins-Smith

Birthplace: South Bend, Indiana

Teams: Phoenix Mercury

American professional basketball player Skylar Kierra Diggins-Smith was born on August 2, 1990, and now plays for the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). In the 2013 WNBA draft, Diggins was selected by the Tulsa Shock third overall. She won the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year and National Gatorade Player of the Year awards in high school. Diggins was a point guard at Notre Dame, where she helped the team win two consecutive NCAA titles and three straight Final Fours. She won the Nancy Lieberman Award twice as the best point guard in the country, and she concluded her stint at Notre Dame leading the team in steals, assists, and points.