It’s Week 7 of the WNBA season and the distance between Napheesa Collier and Caitlin Clark for MVP versus the rest of the field is thinning, plus A’ja Wilson puts space between her and everyone for Defensive Player of the Year, while Paige Bueckers has Rookie of the Year all but locked up after being named an All-Star starter.
Odds are courtesy of DraftKings and subject to change.
WNBA MVP Ladder:
1. Napheesa Collier (-260)
2. Caitlin Clark (+350)
3. Breanna Stewart (+1000)
With Caitlin Clark (+350) missing nine games so far and Napheesa Collier (-260) missing four, that’s opened the door for long shots like Breanna Stewart (+1000).
While I don’t advise putting money on Stewart, who went from +5000 to +1000 over the course of three games in a week. Stewart posted 20.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists in that span, which doesn’t justify the +4000 odds shift.
Collier and Clark meet for the Commissioner Cup Championship, so the winner of the July 1st meeting will propel Collier further ahead or see Clark close the gap.
Collier is still shooting 50/40/90 splits on the season and one of the best two-way players on the the best team (or best record), so it’s really not a case for who is the MVP so far.
WNBA DPOY Ladder:
1. A’ja Wilson (+100)
2. Gabby Williams (+500)
3. Alanna Smith (+500)
The Defensive Player of the Year market has shifted a ton over the past two to three weeks, but the most constant factor is A’ja Wilson (+100) remains atop the leaderboard as the favorite for DPOY and second-highest rated usage player on offense.
In five games since retiring from a short-term injury, Wilson has recorded 13 blocks and 9 steals, in addition to dominating on the offensive end with at least 20 points in all five games.
The Storm’s Gabby Williams (+500) remains the leader in steals per game with 2.6 with at least two steals in seven of the last eight games and three or more in five.
The Lynx’s Alanna Smith (+500) and Napheesa Collier (+500) remain top-five contenders for the award. I’d rank Smith ahead of Collier especially because of recent play. Smith posted a six-block and two-steal effort against the Mystics, then five blocks and two steals over the next two games versus the Dream and Sun.
It’s also not common for a player to win MVP and DPOY in the same season, so I won’t be betting Collier for DPOY.
WNBA ROY Ladder:
1. Paige Bueckers (-1200)
2. Sonia Citron (+1100)
3. Kiki Iriafen (+1600)
Paige Bueckers (-1200) continued her impressive rookie season with 27 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks against the Fever. Bueckers was the only rookie in the draft class to be named an All-Star starter, which only bolsters her case.
Sonia Citron (+1100) has surpassed her teammate Kiki Iriafen (+1600) in the Rookie of the Year race after back-to-back 21 and 22-point games.
Citron went 13-of-28 from the field (46.4%), 6-of-11 from three (54.5%), and a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line, plus a double-double in the most recent outing (22 points, 10 rebounds). In those same games, Iriafen totaled 20 points, 11 rebounds and shot 4-of-20 from the field (20%) and scored 12 of her 20 points from the line.
Vaughn Dalzell’s WNBA Futures Bets:
2 units: Stephanie White to win Coach of the Year (+115)
2 units: Minnesota Lynx to win Championship (+340)
2 units: A’ja Wilson to win MVP (+225)
2 units: Napheesa Collier to win MVP (+150)
0.5 unit: Jonquel Jones to win DPOY (+3000)
0.5 unit: Napheesa Collier to win MVP (+300)
0.5 unit: Angel Reese to win DPOY (+2000)
0.5 unit: Aliyah Boston to win DPOY (+3500)
0.5 unit: Kamila Cardoso to win DPOY (+5500)
0.5 unit: Aliyah Boston to win Most Improved Player (+1500)
0.5 unit: Kamila Cardoso to win Most Improved Player (+3000)
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