WNBA Most Improved Player Award History
The WNBA Most Improved Player Award is presented
annually to the player judged to have made the greatest improvement
from the previous season.
The award was first presented in 2000, when
Tari Phillips of the New York Liberty became the
inaugural winner.
Since then, the award has recognized players who made major jumps in
their production, role, efficiency or overall impact from one season
to the next.
WNBA Most Improved Player Winners
| Year |
Player |
Team |
| 2025 |
Veronica Burton |
Golden State Valkyries |
| 2024 |
DiJonai Carrington |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2023 |
Satou Sabally |
Dallas Wings |
| 2022 |
Jackie Young |
Las Vegas Aces |
| 2021 |
Brionna Jones |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2020 |
Betnijah Laney |
Atlanta Dream |
| 2019 |
Leilani Mitchell |
Phoenix Mercury |
| 2018 |
Natasha Howard |
Seattle Storm |
| 2017 |
Jonquel Jones |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2016 |
Elizabeth Williams |
Atlanta Dream |
| 2015 |
Kelsey Bone |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2014 |
Skylar Diggins |
Tulsa Shock |
| 2013 |
Shavonte Zellous |
Indiana Fever |
| 2012 |
Kristi Toliver |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2011 |
Kia Vaughn |
New York Liberty |
| 2010 |
Leilani Mitchell |
New York Liberty |
| 2009 |
Crystal Langhorne |
Washington Mystics |
| 2008 |
Ebony Hoffman |
Indiana Fever |
| 2007 |
Janel McCarville |
New York Liberty |
| 2006 |
Erin Buescher |
Sacramento Monarchs |
| 2005 |
Nicole Powell |
Sacramento Monarchs |
| 2004 |
Wendy Palmer |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2004 |
Kelly Miller |
Indiana Fever |
| 2003 |
Michelle Snow |
Houston Comets |
| 2002 |
Coco Miller |
Washington Mystics |
| 2001 |
Janeth Arcain |
Houston Comets |
| 2000 |
Tari Phillips |
New York Liberty |
WNBA Most Improved Player Facts
-
Tari Phillips became the first WNBA Most Improved
Player Award winner in 2000.
-
Wendy Palmer and Kelly Miller
shared the award in 2004, the only season with co-winners.
-
Leilani Mitchell became the first player to win the
award twice, doing so with New York in 2010 and Phoenix in 2019.
-
Jonquel Jones won the award in 2017 and later became
WNBA Most Valuable Player.
-
Veronica Burton won the 2025 award after a major jump
in production during Golden State's inaugural season.
-
Burton averaged career highs in points, rebounds and assists and helped
the Valkyries become the first WNBA expansion team to reach the
playoffs in its inaugural season.
2025 Winner: Veronica Burton
Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton was named
the 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player after receiving 68 of 72 votes.
Burton averaged career highs of 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and
6.0 assists per game after averaging 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds and
1.9 assists with Connecticut in 2024.
She became the first player in WNBA history to increase her averages
by at least five points, two rebounds and two assists per game from one
season to the next while meeting the league's minimum-games criteria.
