Sabreena Merchant and Ben Pickman

The 2024 WNBA regular season was one for the record books. Starting with the most hyped draft in recent memory — a raucous night at Brooklyn Academy of Music that broke television viewership records — the excitement surrounding the league has been at a fever pitch. (Pun intended.)

Records fell on and off the court. The single-season marks for points, rebounds and assists (as well as turnovers) changed hands this year, and 21 regular-season games reached at least seven figures in viewers. After measured but meaningful growth coming out of the pandemic, the WNBA exploded in 2024, setting a new standard for the league.

The postseason promises to deliver even more drama, as the Las Vegas Aces chase a three-peat, such perennial All-Stars as Jonquel Jones and Napheesa Collier seek their first title, and a young squad in Indiana makes its return to the playoff stage. Before we get to the drama of the playoffs, here is a look back at what transpired in 2024. The Athletic’s WNBA reporters Ben Pickman and Sabreena Merchant name their All-WNBA team and make their awards picks — some traditional and some new categories — for a historic and memorable season.

Most Valuable Player

A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

When it comes to breaking records, Wilson is at the top of the list. She posted the most points and rebounds in a single season in league history, broke the 1,000-point barrier in the WNBA, and is poised to join an elite club of three-time MVPs: Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson. She could also join a trio of three-time Defensive Player of the Year winners (Swoopes, Tamika Catchings and Sylvia Fowles). The only drama left with Wilson’s inevitable MVP victory is if she will be the unanimous winner, an accomplishment that hasn’t been repeated since Cynthia Cooper in 1997, the league’s inaugural season.

Rookie of the Year

Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever

Clark broke the WNBA record for turnovers in a debut with 10 giveaways in her first game on May 15. It was her first record, different from almost all the others that followed. After a slow start, Clark eventually hit a stride, setting WNBA records for single-season assists, 3-pointers made by a rookie, most 15-point, 5-assist games in a season, points by a rookie and assists in a game. She set more than 20 league or franchise records and was instrumental in the Fever returning to the postseason for the first time since 2016.

Comeback player

Skylar Diggins-Smith, Seattle Storm

After taking maternity leave in 2023, Diggins-Smith played on a new team this season and put together one of her finest campaigns in a career that features six All-Star berths and six All-WNBA appearances. Heading into the final game, she’s averaged career bests in assists (6.4) and steals (1.7) and was a defensive menace at the point of attack. Other players like Tina Charles and Chennedy Carter returned to the WNBA in fine form, but Diggins-Smith, 34, was the best of the bunch. She also wins the “most likely to signal for a challenge” award in her first season playing with that replay rule in effect.

Best familiar face in a new place

Kahleah Copper, Phoenix Mercury

The Mercury acquired Copper in a blockbuster February trade with hopes of returning to title contention. Though Phoenix will enter the postseason merely as the No. 7 seed, Copper starred. She led the league in clutch scoring while setting a new career high with 21.6 points per game. In May she became the only player in WNBA history to score 37 or more points in back-to-back games and later set a WNBA regular-season record for free throws made in a game. Her nine games of 30 points or more were the second-most in the WNBA, behind only Wilson. This is a WNBA-only award, but it’s also worth mentioning that Copper played a key role in the gold medal game against France to finish off her Olympic debut.

Sixth Player of the Year

Tiffany Hayes, Las Vegas Aces

Las Vegas always seems to churn out prolific sixth players. First Dearica Hamby, then Kelsey Plum, Alysha Clark, and now potentially Tiffany Hayes. The only non-Aces player to win this award in the last five years was Bri Jones in 2022. Hayes is a much tougher call than the others, but she fits the microwave-scorer profile common among winners. She’s averaging the most points off the bench (8.5 per game) among players who competed at least half the season (sorry, Aerial Powers). Hayes has brought her downhill attacks to Las Vegas and has the best free-throw rate on the Aces. She’s also coach Becky Hammon’s preferred defensive stopper as a guard to close out games. Clark is a reasonable competitor here with the best bench plus-minus in the WNBA, as are Leonie Fiebich, Shatori Walker-Kimbrough and even Myisha Hines-Allen — for two teams! — but Hayes earns the nod.

Executive of the Year

Talisa Rhea, Seattle Storm

Lulls are rare in Seattle Storm history, as the franchise has missed the playoffs only six times. Last season was one of those times, and Rhea and her front office spent the offseason recharting the Storm’s future. No franchise added more talent in the offseason than they did by acquiring Diggins-Smith and Nneka Ogwumike. The Storm still have moves to make to solidify themselves as championship contenders, but they have maneuvered themselves into a new era following the departure of Breanna Stewart and the retirement of Sue Bird.

Game of the Year

Los Angeles 96, Las Vegas 92

The Sparks had seven wins all season, two of them against the two-time defending champs — the closest Los Angeles has to a local rival. It’s hard to pick between the two for a better game, but we’ll go with the first one, which had an announced crowd of 13,900 in L.A. This game had a little bit of everything. Both teams fought back from double-digit deficits. Aari McDonald and Plum re-created an old collegiate rivalry tracing back to Washington. Wilson had a ho-hum 31 points. Rae Burrell, who grew up in Las Vegas, was the closer against her home team. Three rookies showed out as Kate Martin made her first start, Cameron Brink collected 5 blocks, and the Sparks ran their offense through Rickea Jackson in the fourth quarter. Hammon got ejected. Hamby had one of her forever revenge games against the Aces. It was a tremendous environment and a reminder of the real parity that existed this season. Other games, like Minnesota versus Connecticut on the penultimate playing date of the regular season, may have been more consequential. But this was well-played and an absolute joy throughout.

Breakout player of the year

Chennedy Carter, Chicago Sky

Carter signed a training camp contract with the Sky in February, looking to get back in the league after remaining unsigned during last year’s season. A strong training camp helped her make Chicago’s opening roster, and right away Carter’s impact was tangible. After scoring only 4 points in her season debut, she scored in double figures off the bench in each of her next eight contests. Her explosiveness, chemistry with Angel Reese and overall production were eventually so overwhelming that she slid into the Sky’s starting lineup by mid-June. With coach Teresa Weatherspoon in her corner, Carter averaged 17.5 points per game on 48.7 percent shooting from the field. She will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and Chicago would be smart to prioritize her return.

Biggest surprise

Minnesota Lynx

The Lynx are quick to note that they were predicted to finish ninth in ESPN’s preseason standings. The Athletic was a little more bullish, placing them sixth, but Minnesota has far surpassed those predictions. The Lynx have been arguably the best ball-movement team in league history, on pace to set a WNBA record for assist rate. Collier would be an MVP candidate in any other season. Alanna Smith took another step forward as a defender and shooter. Courtney Williams has been a steadying hand at point guard despite moving to that position in her eighth professional season. Their defense has been nightmarish with its ability to congest the paint. Most importantly, they’ve managed to disrupt the super-team duopoly of New York and Las Vegas from 2023. Minnesota will make noise during the 2024 postseason, which no one predicted heading into the year.

Biggest disappointment

Dallas Wings

The Wings showed significant progress in 2023, increasing their win total, improving their offense and defense ratings, seeing Satou Sabally make first-team All-WNBA, and advancing to the league semifinals for the first time since 2015. Entering coach Latricia Trammell’s second year, Dallas seemed poised to improve. The opposite happened. Injuries ravaged the Wings. Sabally missed half the season after suffering a shoulder injury in February. Natasha Howard was injured in the first game, and Maddy Siegrist went down shortly after. Dallas had 12 different players start throughout the season as it cycled through lineups. August victories over the Aces and Lynx were high points and showed that Dallas still has the potential to compete with the league’s best, but it was an unquestionably difficult year for the Wings. Instead of the playoffs, the WNBA Draft Lottery awaits.

A dishonorable mention goes to the late-season injuries that have befallen playoff hopefuls. Copper and Rebecca Allen are out for Phoenix, Jewell Loyd and Ezi Magbegor for Seattle, and Chicago will likely miss the postseason due to injuries to Reese and Kamilla Cardoso.

Highlight of the year

Arike Ogunbowale’s All-Star Game

In theory, this award is designed to reward a single play, but it was hard to pick from one of the greatest scoring nights in WNBA history. It was a tough year for the Wings, but Ogunbowale scored all 34 of her All-Star Game points in the second half, setting a scoring record in the process. She made almost every kind of basket — pull-up 3s, off-the-dribble 3s, floaters, one-legged fadeaways. She pierced Team USA’s defensive game plan and became just the fourth player to ever win multiple All-Star MVPs. Has anyone ever had a hotter hand?