Pick and Roll: Way too early MVP picks for 2025 WNBA Season

The New York Liberty have reached the top of the mountain.

For the first time in franchise history, the Liberty became WNBA champions on Sunday, beating the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of this year’s finals. 

And while New York’s parade hasn’t even set for departure, Brianne Spiker and I are back with a way too early look at the 2025 season. 

Things move fast in the world of basketball, and the fine folks at FanDuel have already priced up markets for next year's championship and MVP. 

New York are currently the overwhelming favourites at +175 to repeat as champions next year, with no other team listed at shorter than 3-1. The Lynx have the second-shortest odds at +350. 

Here is a look at the full list of odds. 

With a full offseason ahead, Spiker and I aren’t rushing to place any championship futures yet (however, the Sparks at 150-1 might be calling my name), but we have circled two names in the MVP market we think could be next to win the award. 

Here is the final edition of Pick and Roll for 2024. 

Brianne Spiker: Napheesa Collier +550 

If not for a sublime season by A’ja Wilson, Collier would’ve been my pick for WNBA MVP this season.

Collier played the best basketball of her career in the postseason, averaging 23.8 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists through 12 playoff games as she nearly willed the Lynx to a championship. In the regular season, her contribution on both sides of the floor led to her winning WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

After some down seasons, the combination of key off-season adds and maturation from the rest of the roster launched the Lynx back into contender territory. After missing the majority of 2022 after giving birth, Collier bounced back well in 2023, but her finding a new level this season has made the biggest difference for Minnesota.

The sixth-overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft, it seems unfathomable she lasted that long. In a redraft, Collier is the slam-dunk No. 1 pick for me.

Wilson has won MVP three times since 2018, while Breanna Stewart has won twice and Jonquel Jones once. Wilson and Stewart will continue to churn out strong seasons, but with the way Collier played this season, it feels like it's time for someone else to step up and make an undeniable case for the trophy. Collier is primed to be that player in 2025. 

Luke Bellus: Caitlin Clark +250 

Just by process of elimination I have landed on Clark at +250 as my play to win MVP next year. 

Wilson just had one of, if not the, best seasons in WNBA history and has won MVP three of the past five years. I assume some regression and voter fatigue is coming.

Meanwhile, Spiker called dibs on Collier, and I don’t see either Stewart or Sabrina Ionescu separating themselves enough to win the award as teammates. 

That leaves only Clark at +250 listed with odds shorter than 30-1 on my checklist. Clark’s rookie season was historic, setting a number of rookie and single-season league records with the last feather in her cap being the first rookie since Candace Parker in 2008 to be named to All-WNBA first team. 

Clark did all of this while also being just six weeks removed from a run to a national championship in college and will definitely benefit from some rest before her second season in the WNBA. 

We got a glimpse of how she looks with some added rest after the mid-season Olympic break she helped lead the Fever to a 5-1 record in August, their best month of the season. 

She also brought playoff basketball back to the Fever franchise for the first time since 2016. 

If it’s not Collier being named MVP next season I really think your next best bet is Clark, despite the low price.