WNBA GMs pick Collier as MVP over Wilson, Clark

The Minnesota Lynx were picked as the favorites to win the 2025 WNBA title, with star Napheesa Collier getting the nod as most likely to be MVP, in the league's annual general manager survey released Thursday.

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark was the top selection the GMs would choose to build a team around if they could pick any current player, while 2025 No. 1 draft pick Paige Bueckers of the Dallas Wings was chosen as the favorite for Rookie of the Year.

Those were among the highlights of the 40 questions answered by the GMs, who were not allowed to vote for their own team or personnel.

The WNBA's 29th season tips off Friday, including Minnesota at Dallas as Bueckers makes her pro debut at 7:30 p.m. ET on ION. ABC will televise a doubleheader Saturday, as the defending champion New York Liberty face the two-time champ Las Vegas Aces (1 p.m. ET), followed by the Chicago Sky at Indiana (3 p.m. ET).

The Lynx, who fell to New York in the WNBA Finals last season, got 60% of the votes as the title favorite, with the Liberty second (20%) and the Fever and Aces tied for third (10% each). The GMs chose a Liberty-Lynx rematch as the most likely Finals matchup (50%). Minnesota's Cheryl Reeve got 83% of the votes as the WNBA's best coach.

Collier, who was second to Las Vegas' A'ja Wilson in the MVP race last season, got 67% of the votes for MVP favorite. Wilson got 25% and Clark 8%. Collier was also picked as the most versatile player (42%) and best overall defender (33%) while sharing the top spot with Wilson as the best leader (42%) and best forward (33%).

Wilson, a three-time MVP, was voted the player who forces opposing coaches to make the most adjustments (33%). She was also picked as the top interior defender (67%) and the best center (50%).

Clark, the Rookie of the Year last season, got 50% of the vote as the player most GMs would choose to build around. She tied with Aces veteran Chelsea Gray as the best point guard, with each getting 50% of the votes. Gray was chosen as the league's best passer (75%) and highest basketball IQ player (36%).

Clark received 33% of votes as the best shooting guard, edging New York's Sabrina Ionescu and Minnesota's Kayla McBride (25% each). Clark led the WNBA in assists (8.4 per game) and total 3-pointers (122 in 40 games) last season.

Clark's Fever impressed the GMs as the team that could be the most fun to watch this season (75%), along with being the most improved (42%) and the franchise that made the best moves of the offseason (64%) by obtaining DeWanna Bonner, Natasha Howard and Sophie Cunningham.

There was an interesting contrast in how the GMs view this 2025 draft class. While Bueckers received 73% of the votes for Rookie of the Year, the GMs favored No. 2 pick Dominique Malonga of the Seattle Storm as the rookie who will be the best player in five years (60%).

Malonga, the 6-foot-6 French teenager, is part of why the GMs overwhelmingly chose France (92%) as the country outside of the United States that currently is producing the best WNBA talent. New York's Jonquel Jones (Bahamas), last season's WNBA Finals MVP, was picked as the best international player (50%).