WNBA MVP Award History
The WNBA Most Valuable Player Award is presented
annually to the player judged to have had the most outstanding
regular season.
Cynthia Cooper of the Houston Comets became the
league's first MVP in 1997 and repeated as the winner in 1998.
Since then, the award has been won by many of the greatest players
in women's professional basketball history, including Sheryl Swoopes,
Lisa Leslie, Lauren Jackson, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker,
Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson.
WNBA MVP Winners by Year
| Year |
Player |
Team |
| 2025 |
A'ja Wilson |
Las Vegas Aces |
| 2024 |
A'ja Wilson |
Las Vegas Aces |
| 2023 |
Breanna Stewart |
New York Liberty |
| 2022 |
A'ja Wilson |
Las Vegas Aces |
| 2021 |
Jonquel Jones |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2020 |
A'ja Wilson |
Las Vegas Aces |
| 2019 |
Elena Delle Donne |
Washington Mystics |
| 2018 |
Breanna Stewart |
Seattle Storm |
| 2017 |
Sylvia Fowles |
Minnesota Lynx |
| 2016 |
Nneka Ogwumike |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2015 |
Elena Delle Donne |
Chicago Sky |
| 2014 |
Maya Moore |
Minnesota Lynx |
| 2013 |
Candace Parker |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2012 |
Tina Charles |
Connecticut Sun |
| 2011 |
Tamika Catchings |
Indiana Fever |
| 2010 |
Lauren Jackson |
Seattle Storm |
| 2009 |
Diana Taurasi |
Phoenix Mercury |
| 2008 |
Candace Parker |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2007 |
Lauren Jackson |
Seattle Storm |
| 2006 |
Lisa Leslie |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2005 |
Sheryl Swoopes |
Houston Comets |
| 2004 |
Lisa Leslie |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2003 |
Lauren Jackson |
Seattle Storm |
| 2002 |
Sheryl Swoopes |
Houston Comets |
| 2001 |
Lisa Leslie |
Los Angeles Sparks |
| 2000 |
Sheryl Swoopes |
Houston Comets |
| 1999 |
Yolanda Griffith |
Sacramento Monarchs |
| 1998 |
Cynthia Cooper |
Houston Comets |
| 1997 |
Cynthia Cooper |
Houston Comets |
Most WNBA MVP Awards
| Player |
MVPs |
Years |
| A'ja Wilson |
4 |
2020, 2022, 2024, 2025 |
| Sheryl Swoopes |
3 |
2000, 2002, 2005 |
| Lisa Leslie |
3 |
2001, 2004, 2006 |
| Lauren Jackson |
3 |
2003, 2007, 2010 |
| Cynthia Cooper |
2 |
1997, 1998 |
| Candace Parker |
2 |
2008, 2013 |
| Elena Delle Donne |
2 |
2015, 2019 |
| Breanna Stewart |
2 |
2018, 2023 |
WNBA MVP Facts
-
Cynthia Cooper won the first two WNBA MVP Awards,
earning the honor with Houston in 1997 and 1998.
-
A'ja Wilson is the only player to win four WNBA MVP
Awards, earning the honor in 2020, 2022, 2024 and 2025.
-
Wilson became the first player since Cynthia Cooper to win the award
in consecutive seasons when she repeated in 2025.
-
Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson each
won the award three times.
-
Candace Parker became the first rookie to win WNBA MVP
when she captured the award with Los Angeles in 2008.
-
Lauren Jackson became the first international player
to win WNBA MVP when she earned the award with Seattle in 2003.
-
Elena Delle Donne became the first player to win MVP
with two different franchises, winning with Chicago in 2015 and
Washington in 2019.
-
The Houston Comets produced five MVP-winning seasons during the
league's first nine years: Cynthia Cooper twice and Sheryl Swoopes
three times.
A'ja Wilson's Four MVP Awards
A'ja Wilson became the first player in WNBA history to win four
regular-season MVP awards when she captured the honor again in 2025.
Her previous MVP seasons came in 2020, 2022 and 2024.
Wilson led the WNBA in both scoring and rebounding during the
2025 regular season, averaging 23.4 points and 12.6 rebounds per game.
Her fourth MVP moved her ahead of Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and
Lauren Jackson, who each won three.
Explore WNBA History
