One way to increase revenue for the WNBA, create a reality tv show. This season will break all viewing records as a novella worth its weight in gold. Showcase, first and foremost, the fantastic competition. Next, plenty of theatricals will compete for screen time.
Forget the drama for a minute and focus on the playoff picture. Some wiggle room in the top five, but the last three playoff positions will come down to the wire. Every game is about to get dicier.
In the meantime, the 2022 WNBA MVP trophy is A’ja Wilson‘s or Breanna Stewart‘s. If team wins were thrown off the court, what other players might be in MVP title contention? It is an opportune time to throw a few sleepers into the conversation.
BRITTNEY GRINER
Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia for 166 days. It is with high hopes that her ordeal ends and she reunites with her friends and family post haste. Please visit wearebg.org to help expedite her return. #WeAreBG!
SKYLAR DIGGINS-SMITH
Skylar Diggins-Smith is having an MVP season, and due to her prowess on the court, the Mercury are seventh in the WNBA standings.
Diggins-Smith is third in points (20.0 PPG) and ESPN fantasy points (36.5 FPG). She is seventh in assists (5.8 APG) and steals (1.6 SPG). Considering the upheaval of a year Phoenix is having, especially missing BG on all levels, Diggins-Smith is worth an MVP mention.
The Mercury have three games against winning teams. The other three games are against teams fighting for a playoff berth. If Diggins-Smith continues her all-star play, she may insert her name onto the 2022 WNBA MVP award.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1553805994504794112
NNEKA OGWUMIKE
The Los Angeles Sparks’ season has been intriguing. Coaching moves, roster changes, injuries, and everything in between have occurred this season. The one consistent player, the silent assassin, Nneka Ogwumike, has her team in the final playoff position.
She stands first in field goals made (7.5), fifth in steals (1.7 SPG), sixth in scoring (18.7 PPG), and eighth in ESPN fantasy points (32.61 FPG). Ogwumike helps her team find ways to win regularly.
Not all of her MVP-like qualities appear on a stat sheet. Watch her game closely, and one is witness to how uniquely talented Ogwumike is. She remains a long-shot sleeper for the 2022 WNBA MVP award, but stranger things have happened.
ARIKE OGUNBOWALE
Another MVP candidate, Arike Ogunbowale, had a slow start to the season, at least by her standards. She dialed in and has led the Wings to sixth place in the WNBA. On a young, talented team, Ogunbowale is its leader. She has matured into the role and finds ways to help the Wings reach winning status.
She ranks third in three-pointers made (2.8), fourth in scoring (19.9 PPG), sixth in ESPN fantasy points (32.93 FPG), and ninth in steals (1.5 SPG). Ogunbowale has faced adversity this year, and growth in all areas is part of her game.
Time is a factor in determining Ogunbowale’s MVP worth. Has time traveled too far to allow her a shot at this prestigious award?
Arike with a little extra mustard on the assist. pic.twitter.com/NZ1ABXvCyI
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) July 31, 2022
AND ONE
Wins matter in the MVP contest, and this season will prove that again. It will be shocking to have the 2022 WNBA MVP trophy in the hands of anyone other than A’ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart.
Sometimes the fun is finding other worthy contenders that are overlooked due to various circumstances. One day, perhaps shortly, an MVP candidate will rise from the obscurity of a mediocre team.
As a reminder, there are plenty of dynamic matchups this week. The playoffs are approaching quickly, and teams are muscling into contention. Watch your favorite MVP and all the action this week.
All stats courtesy of Her Hoops Stats
