WNBA MVP race rankings: A'ja Wilson vs. Olivia Miles debate is on with Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers lurking originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Award season is fast approaching in the WNBA. With a little more than one month left in the season, now is the time for the league's greatest talents to play for the sport's finest pieces of hardware.No accolade glistens as brightly as the MVP. A'ja Wilson has had something of a stranglehold on the prize in recent years, capturing four in the past six years. A fifth looks on the horizon, although she's facing strong competition from a handful of notable youngsters, namely Olivia Miles and Caitlin Clark.Recent history tells us that MVP races can be difficult to predict. Wilson beat Breanna Stewart by eight first-place votes in 2022. Stewart won the award in 2023 despite earning fewer first-place votes than Alyssa Thomas, while Wilson stormed away with the prize after a late-season surge last year. While the calendar is shrinking, votes haven't yet been cast. Surprises could be on the way, especially if someone further down the rankings makes a splash.With that, here's a look at what the MVP ladder looks like heading into the stretch run.MORE:Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese headline USA's FIBA World Cup roster Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images WNBA MVP race rankingsA'ja Wilson, C, AcesPointsReboundsAssistsStealsBlocksTOsFG%3P%FT%26.69.63.21.52.02.353.744.684.9There has been plenty of fanfare about the likes of Miles, Clark, Paige Bueckers and Kelsey Mitchell over the course of the year. They all are plenty deserving of praise, having each enjoyed standout campaigns to push their sides toward postseason contention.And yet, they all fall short of Wilson, the WNBA's greatest-ever player, who is authoring yet another iconic season. The Aces are 3.5 games back of the Lynx for the best record in the league, so it's entirely possible that voters feel compelled to vote for Miles, who has spearheaded Minnesota's push for glory while Napheesa Collier recovered from offseason ankle surgery.Still, Wilson's numbers pop compared to those of her competitors. She's within a shout of breaking her scoring record, exceeding the 26-point threshold for the third time in four seasons. Wilson also leads the league in blocks, ranks third in rebounding, 14th in steals and 25th in assists per game. She leads the league in win shares (6.6), ranks 11th in offensive rating (123.2) and third in defensive rating (101.5). Wilson's 33.8 player efficiency rating not only leads the league, it's nearly 10 points higher than second place, held by Fever star Aliyah Boston.Some onlookers might believe MVP fatigue could lead to Wilson falling slightly down the ladder for the MVP prize. The likes of Miles and Clark have intriguing cases that could grow with strong performances in the final portion of the year. But at present, the prize remains Wilson's to lose.MORE:What to know about newly named WNBA expansion team Cleveland Sirens Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Olivia Miles, G, LynxPointsReboundsAssistsStealsBlocksTOsFG%3P%FT%19.74.75.81.30.73.050.238.087.5Miles has enjoyed one of the greatest rookie seasons in WNBA history, stepping into the lead guard role with the Lynx and immediately proclaiming herself as one of the sport's finest play-makers. The TCU product has done a little bit of everything in Minnesota colors so far. She places inside the top-10 in scoring and assists while putting forth efficiency metrics not typically seen out of young guards. Miles is arguably the WNBA's most exciting player, pairing eye-catching handles with court vision and an audacity that few guards in league history have ever possessed.Miles is at her best in the pick-and-roll. The Ringer's Seerat Sori found that Miles has logged more possessions as a pick-and-roll ball-handler than any player since 2011. Predictably, Miles' artistry in that configuration has shined through. Natasha Howard, Courtney Williams and Kayla McBride have enjoyed All-Star-caliber campaigns alongside the rookie. Napheesa Collier's return has done little to blight the Lynx's rhythm Minnesota has won 10 games in a row, good for the team's longest streak since 2016.She might not be able to match Wilson in terms of advanced metrics like win shares and PER. But Miles still sits comfortably among the game's elite. Wilson holds the edge over the Minnesota star for now. But if the Lynx are able to clinch the league's best record following Collier's injury woes and the high-profile exits of Bridget Carleton, Alanna Smith and Jessica Shephard in the offseason, it's plausible to believe that she might steal some votes from the Las Vegas standout. Perhaps that's enough for her to leapfrog Wilson and become the first rookie to win MVP honors since Candace Parker in 2008.MORE:What to know about Sophie Cunningham rallies, protests Imagn Images Caitlin Clark, G, FeverPointsReboundsAssistsStealsBlocksTOsFG%3P%FT%21.54.08.00.90.64.644.634.986.9What a difference a year has made for Clark, the WNBA's most talked-about talent. The Iowa product has looked every bit like the MVP-caliber talent she was tipped to be when she entered the league, improving her scoring and efficiency numbers despite playing fewer minutes than she has at any other point in her career.Indiana endured an uneven start to the season, posting a 4-4 record through its opening eight games. Speculation over Stephanie White's future ran rife as some questioned whether Clark could mesh with the Fever's tactician.Indiana weathered the storm, entrusting White a former Coach of the Year recipient to right the ship. Its decision has paid off handsomely thus far, with the Fever riding high atop the Eastern Conference, winners of seven of their last 10 games. Indiana's offense is the best in the league, and one of the best in WNBA history.Clark has been the architect of most of the Fever's fireworks thus far. Since June 4, she's averaging 22.1 points and 8.0 assists on 46.6/35.5/84.3 shooting splits. Wilson and Miles have been splendid for much of the campaign. But as long as Indiana keeps winning, Clark will remain a fearsome presence in the MVP race.MORE:Full list of deals completed before 2026 WNBA deadline Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Kelsey Mitchell, G, FeverPointsReboundsAssistsStealsBlocksTOsFG%3P%FT%24.01.62.71.00.11.850.243.885.5Miles said it best: Kelsey Mitchell is "so tough."The Fever guard is something of an icon in WNBA circles, regularly earning distinction as the league's toughest guard. Lynx guard Maya Caldwell recently called the 30-year-old "unguardable." That might be an understatement.Mitchell is the best pure scorer in the league. She has helped power Indiana's offense alongside Clark and Aliyah Boston as of late, claiming Eastern Conference Player of the Month honors after averaging 27.3 points, 2.9 assists and 2.1 rebounds on 50.3/48.4/87.9 shooting splits. Mitchell doesn't quite fill up the stat sheet like Wilson, Miles and Clark. But there isn't a player in the league more decorated with the ball in her hands than the Ohio State product. Mitchell ranks seventh in win shares (4.5), second in offensive win shares (4.1) and ninth in offensive rating (124.3). She's effectively level with Clark in terms of PER and has enjoyed a series of high-profile scoring outbursts in recent weeks, including a 37-point showcase in Indiana's loss to the Lynx on Aug. 2 and a 33-point masterpiece in a 20-point win over the Liberty on July 18.She's likely to fall victim to Clark's prominence when it comes to voting it's possible that voters are unable to separate her brilliance from Indiana's lead guard. Her performances over the past month does suggest she could surge up the ladder with a barrage of baskets, however.MORE:How Kelsey Plum fits in with Mercury after trade from Sparks David Butler II-Imagn Images Paige Bueckers, G, WingsPointsReboundsAssistsStealsBlocksTOsFG%3P%FT%20.14.25.90.60.52.050.639.185.1Bueckers has seen her numbers dip ever so slightly since the All-Star break, with the Wings dropping three of their last four games the last of which saw them blow a 20-point lead en route to a defeat vs. the Mystics.The former No. 1 pick has still enjoyed a sizzling campaign in her sophomore season, however. Bueckers has put forth nigh on identical season in terms of counting analytics. The difference comes in Dallas' record: the Wings are 19-12 and look all but certain to return to the postseason for the first time since 2023.Bueckers isn't the sole reason for Dallas' improved performance. The additions of Azzi Fudd, Alanna Smith and Jessica Shephard have done wonders to Jose Fernandez's setup. Fudd will likely earn a spot on the All-Rookie team, while Shephard is likely to command some down-ballot MVP attention.Still, Bueckers is undoubtedly the Wings' talisman. She has tended to come to life in the fourth quarter, averaging more points in the frame than any player to appear in at least 15 games this season, per ESPN's Alexa Philippou. Bueckers has her flaws at times, she can prove less assertive than the likes of Wilson and Clark. And yet, with her running the show, the Wings are poised to finish with their best record since moving to Dallas. Bueckers is sliding. But she remains a likely All-WNBA candidate assuming she's able to hold off Mitchell.MORE:Why WNBA was forced to delete post of Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese promoting betting