The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) named New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2023 season last week. Stewart found out on Wednesday, Sept. 27 that her efforts were enough to earn the prestigious award, landing the second MVP award of her illustrious career.
Stewart earned 446 points when the final ballots were counted, narrowly beating out two other strong contenders for the award. Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas finished second with 439 points, and Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson fell just short of winning her second consecutive MVP, with 433 points.
The Liberty forward’s 2023 showing was well-deserving of this honor. Stewart was second in the league in points per game with 23 and also crashed the glass for 9.3 rebounds per game. Her game-by-game performances led the team to the second-best record in the league at 32-8. With this award, Stewart further cements herself as one of the top players in the league.
Thomas, the runner-up, was thought to be the favorite. She put together a historic campaign. The forward was practically flirting with a triple-double on a nightly basis, averaging 15.5 points, 9.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game this season. She tallied six triple-doubles by the end of the regular season, a feat that has never been accomplished, setting the record for most triple-doubles in a career in just one season. The Sun star is on a blazing path toward excellence, and fans are rightfully shocked by her second-place finish.
Wilson hoped to join the prestigious list of WNBA players to win three MVP awards in a career this season, but that achievement will have to wait. The 27-year-old’s MVP-caliber season included 22.8 points and 9.5 rebounds per game and a stellar season on the defensive end of the court. However, this was not enough to catch the eye of enough voters. One voter even shockingly placed her fourth place on their ballot. While it certainly left Wilson disappointed, the forward still takes home some hardware, being named the Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season, highlighted by a league-leading 2.2 blocks per game.
All in all, it was a tight race, but also one that raised questions. People have come out with concerns about the decisions of voters. In Thomas’ case, should the player who recorded one of the best single seasons ever fall short of taking home the award? For Wilson, how can a clear top-three player in the league for the league’s best team receive a fourth-place vote? These are questions that the voting committee might need to reflect on. There wasn’t a wrong choice between the three, and Stewart is more than deserving, but with the seasons Thomas and Wilson had, it left some people scratching their heads. Regardless, this was one of the greatest MVP races in the league’s history, and it is clear that the future of the WNBA is in good hands.
