The 2025 WNBA Ball-Knower's Choice Awards
After our No Cap Space crew released our WNBA Awards ballots, we opened up the voting process to our paid subscribers. Who did they pick for the top honors in women's basketball?
With the WNBA Finals on the horizon and most of the seasonal awards done and dusted, we decided that it was time. We’ve dropped our awards picks in the form of The Cappies, which you can find here. But we’re big believers in community here at NCS and being a Ball-Knower is more than just subscribing to a paid tier.
Seeing as how we have so many people that eat, sleep and breathe women’s basketball the same way we do, we decided to create something new. We are proud to present, The Ball-Knower’s Choice Awards! Our inaugural edition saw roughly 20 of our subscribers vote on their picks for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and every other major honor available (except Sixth Player, more on that in a second).
We only took the ballots that filled out all five names and modeled the points system off of the current WNBA method. Let us know what picks you agree with, what ballots you can’t stand and consider joining the Ball-Knower’s for more fun opportunities to be a part of our growing WBB community!
MVP:
A’ja Wilson (199)
Napheesa Collier (180)
Alyssa Thomas (119)
Allisha Gray (61)
Kelsey Mitchell (23)
The Ball-Knower’s Ballot
Defensive Player of the Year:
Alanna Smith (146)
A’ja Wilson (99)
Gabby Williams (78)
Napheesa Collier (59)
Rhyne Howard (11)
The Ball-Knower’s Ballot
Most Improved Player:
Veronica Burton (Unanimous) (160)
Azura Stevens (84)
Naz Hillmon (61)
Natisha Hiedeman (28)
Allisha Gray (16)
The Ball-Knower’s Ballot
Rookie of the Year:
Paige Bueckers (212)
Sonia Citron (134)
Kiki Iriafen (89)
Dominique Malonga (47)
Janelle Salaun (26)
The Ball-Knower’s Ballot
Coach of the Year:
Natalie Nakase (202)
Karl Smesko (139)
Cheryl Reeve (91)
Sydney Johnson (33)
Stephanie White (28)
The Ball-Knower’s Ballot
All-WNBA First Team:
A’ja Wilson (110)
Napheesa Collier (110)
Alyssa Thomas (110)
Allisha Gray (106)
Nneka Ogwumike (100)
All-WNBA Second Team:
Kelsey Mitchell (92)
Paige Bueckers (51)
Jackie Young (44)
Kelsey Plum (37)
Aliyah Boston (Tie) (35)
Courtney Williams (Tie) (35)
All-WNBA Third Team:
Veronica Burton (28)
Sabrina Ionescu (27)
Breanna Stewart (26)
Bri Jones (21)
Rhyne Howard (Tie) (17)
Dearica Hamby (Tie) (17)
First Team All-Defense:
Alanna Smith (90)
A’ja Wilson (85)
Napheesa Collier (83)
Gabby Williams (83)
Alyssa Thomas (63)
Second Team All-Defense:
Rhyne Howard (23)
Bri Jones (17)
Lexie Hull (16)
Leila Lacan (12)
Angel Reese (12)
All-Rookie:
Sonia Citron (105)
Paige Bueckers (100)
Kiki Iriafen (100)
Dominique Malonga (60)
Saniya Rivers (45)
Sixth Player of the Year:
I’ll be honest…I forgot to put it into the poll when I first sent out the ballots. So this year there will be no Ball-Knower’s Choice for Sixth Player. Luckily, there will always be another season for us to throw in our votes! Blame the EIC on that one.