Yearly, a couple of WNBA gamers unexpectedly get away.
Final 12 months, it was Veronica Burton who went from a seldom-used bench participant in Connecticut to the face of the Golden State Valkyries, upping her manufacturing from 3.1 factors and 1.9 assists per sport in 2024 to 11.9 factors and 6 assists in 2025. At 25 years outdated, Burton was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Participant.
Traditionally, it’s widespread for gamers to make a leap of their Yr 3 or Yr 4 season. Earlier than Burton, it was DiJonai Carrington who was named Most Improved in 2024, her fourth season within the WNBA. However typically, that soar occurs earlier (or later) in a single’s profession.
Listed below are my predictions for who may make a soar within the 2026 WNBA season.
1. Rickea Jackson, Los Angeles Sparks
Rickea Jackson, the No. 4 choose within the 2024 draft, is getting into her third season with the Los Angeles Sparks. She had a powerful rookie marketing campaign, averaging 13.4 factors on 45.6% capturing, and upped her scoring to 14.7 factors final season (although her effectivity barely declined).
Jackson has performed below two totally different coaches and programs in her first two years within the league, however in each, she demonstrated a gradual capacity to attain the ball. After a considerably gradual begin, Jackson completed the 12 months sturdy, averaging 15.9 factors on 47.6% capturing (and 40.7% from three).
If the three-point shot can come round, she’s poised to take one other step as one of many league’s elite scorers. During the last 10 video games of the season, she was the league’s Thirteenth-leading scorer and third-leading scorer amongst gamers below the age of 25.
2. Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm
Dominique Malonga didn’t get a lot taking part in time to start her rookie marketing campaign with the Seattle Storm. For the season, she averaged 7.7 factors and 4.6 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per sport.
However the No. 2 general choose within the 2025 WNBA Draft completed sturdy, tallying 8.7 factors and eight.7 rebounds in 22.4 minutes throughout three postseason video games in opposition to A’ja Wilson and the Aces. Malonga is the one rotation participant below contract subsequent season (Lexie Brown, who struggled to search out constant minutes, is the one different Storm participant below contract). So it appears probably that Seattle will construct round Malonga, with the way forward for extra veteran gamers, like Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, and Gabby Williams, nonetheless unsure.
Malonga has a 12 months of expertise below her belt now and also will be taking part in in Unequalled this offseason. I foresee she’ll get critical minutes with Seattle subsequent season, and as such, her manufacturing will skyrocket.
One constructive notice from Malonga’s rookie season — she was sturdy, showing in 42 of 44 video games. She additionally confirmed a marked enchancment because the 12 months progressed, tallying 11 double-digit scoring video games after the All-Star break (and solely two earlier than).
3. Carla Leite, Golden State Valkyries
Carla Leite is my sleeper choose for a looming breakout star within the WNBA. At 21 years outdated, Leite is likely one of the youngest gamers within the league. She’s additionally certainly one of simply two Valkyries gamers who aren’t free brokers this offseason (the opposite being rising third-year participant Kate Martin).
Leite averaged 7.2 factors and a couple of assists per sport final season, and showcased a powerful capacity to complete within the paint – capturing 66% within the restricted space. Final 12 months, she was the fourth-most environment friendly isolation participant within the league, trailing solely Rhyne Howard, Caitlin Clark, and Dana Evans, per The Athletic.
The largest factor that held her again? Her jumpshooting. She shot simply 17.3% from three, and 29.2% between 16 ft and the three-point line. Her effectivity improves as she will get nearer to the rim, however for her to take one other step as an offensive expertise, the capturing goes to have to return round. One factor that’s encouraging is that she’s an 84% free-throw shooter; the basics are there, and a potential leap may very well be on the horizon.
It’s virtually unimaginable to foretell precisely who’s on the cusp of breaking out — however Rickea Jackson, Dominique Malonga, and Carla Leite are three of my early predictions.
