In 2021, the Las Vegas Aces and Connecticut Sun were the two best teams in the WNBA throughout the regular season — very clearly, the two best. They both dominated opponents en route to No. 1 and 2 seeds for the postseason, earning double-byes and seeming destined to meet in the Finals.
But the Chicago Sky upset the Sun in the semis right before the Phoenix Mercury did the same to the Aces, leaving the two clubs limping into the offseason.
A year later, the Aces and Sun have redeemed themselves. Both exercised some demons (the Sky and Mercury) along the path to reaching the 2022 WNBA Finals.
With the two most recent league MVPs, Jonquel Jones (2021) and A’ja Wilson (2022) set to clash, can either of them parlay their success into a Finals MVP award while leading their franchise to its first-ever WNBA Championship? Or will someone else emerge?
We take a look at the top candidates for the award and why they’re worth betting on.
5
Kelsey Plum (+500)
It feels weird ranking Plum this low, but it’s more of an evaluation of her playoff performances recently than anything else. Her efficiency has dropped quite a bit from regular-season to post-season and now she’s getting ready to face a TOUGH Connecticut defense.
She did have success against the Sun in three games this season, though, and if she can duplicate those performances, Vegas will be in a good spot. Consider her as the true definition of the term “X-factor” heading into Game 1.
4
Alyssa Thomas (+1000)
There’s a case for Alyssa Thomas being the best player on the Sun. Actually, the case is firmly supplanted in her third-place finish in this season’s MVP voting. She’s as good as it gets on defense and turns her greatness on that end into transition opportunities, where she is a nightmare for the opposition.
IF Thomas is putting the ball in the basket, the Sun are that much better and she becomes a very easy Finals MVP candidate.
3
Jonquel Jones (+1200)
Jonquel having +1200 odds is pretty crazy. On most nights, she’s the best player on the court. She’s now suddenly flying under the radar, which I don’t truly understand. As I’ve said before, versatile 6-foot-6 players who can shoot and defend with the best of ’em don’t exactly grow on trees.
A Jonquel Jones dominant series is not as unlikely as the odds make it seem.
2
A'ja Wilson (+170)
A’ja Wilson has put together a ridiculous resume already. And this year, she’s taking it to another level. Wilson was voted as an All-Star captain, the W’s Defensive Player of the Year and most recently, the league MVP.
After a pedestrian first three games of the playoffs, she’s really turned it around with some historic performances. Playing the best basketball of her career, she may be able to sustain it for one more series. It’ll be tough, though, against Connecticut’s size and physicality.
1
Chelsea Gray (+320)
Speaking of playing the best basketball of their career — HELLO, Chelsea Gray. Gray is currently having one of the better individual playoff runs of any basketball ever. Her stats and efficiency are video game-like and that’s before taking into account all of the timely shots and plays she’s made throughout this run.
Gray continues to one-up herself with each passing game and no one should be surprised if she keeps it up.
