Every WNBA season has the expected performances, such as two-time MVPs A'ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart, who prove themselves year after year, and exclusively WNBA talents, such as Alyssa Thomas and Napheesa Collier, who prove to be some of the toughest competitors in the league. .
But the fun of the WNBA season really comes from the unexpected: the standout players who maybe changed teams in the offseason and are now having a career year; or who have taken on bigger roles and are helping their teams reach new heights.
Along the way, they could earn their first (or other) All-Star bid or the league's Most Improved Player award. They might even receive new MVP consideration.
It is too early to decide on such honors. But we've already seen several players hit the ground running during the first week and a half of the 2024 WNBA season. As we head into the second weekend of games, these are the rising stars who have made significant leaps since 2023 and are coming into their own right from the start.
Some are former All-Stars who are moving up the ranks; Others are taking on starting positions for the first time and proving they deserve the promotion.
There is still a lot of the season left, but we hope these players continue to have a huge impact on their teams.
2:03
Copper stars in the defeat of Mercury against Aces
Kahleah Copper scores 37 points in Phoenix Mercury's 98-88 win over Las Vegas Aces.
2023 statistics: 18.7 points per game, 44.8% field goals, 40.4% 3 shots in Chicago
2024 stats so far: 31.3 points per game, 50.6% field goals, 46.7% three-pointers
It may seem counterintuitive to include a former Finals MVP as a featured player, but in her limited time in the Valley, Copper, whose trade to Phoenix after one season with the Sky was one of the most impactful moves of the offseason , has been nothing short of sensational. Case in point: His (fairly efficient) 28.5 points per game is the highest scoring average in the league through Thursday's contest and marks the highest points per game mark in the first four games of a season in the Mercury story.
Copper's consecutive 38- and 37-point games (the first a career-high, the second against the defending champion Aces) put the league on alert. Only one other player, Liz Cambage, had recorded consecutive 35-point games in the WNBA. And, while Copper's cutting ability has long been a feature of her game, her shooting ability in a system that prioritizes 3-pointers has also been huge, especially with Brittney Griner out indefinitely with a toe broken. She has recorded at least three triples in her first four games to start the season, tied for the longest streak to start a season in WNBA history.
“My offseason was great. I prided myself on being a three-level scorer, but I wanted to be more consistent,” Copper said after Phoenix's win over the Aces on Tuesday. “And off the court, it's like we've been together forever… We're having fun together in these games and I think that's where we're getting our separation.”
Copper, who began her career in Washington and Chicago primarily as a bench player, never earned a WNBA nod, but that could change this year if she maintains this level of play.
0:17
Dearica Hamby gets the and-1 to lose to the Sparks
Dearica Hamby gets the and-1 down after an offensive rebound against the Aces.
2023 statistics: 8.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 0.9 SPG
2024 stats so far: 22.0 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 2.0 SPG
Hamby's return last season after giving birth to her second child in March 2023 was notable: She was the only Sparks player to appear in all 40 games. This year, the former two-time Sixth Player of the Year aims to earn not only an All-Star nomination, but also MVP votes. If she continues playing like she has so far, both things could be possible.
Hamby has recorded double-doubles in two of the Sparks' first three games. In the third, he scored a career-high 29 points against his former team, the Aces.
The No. 6 pick in 2015, Hamby's previous career highs were 13.0 PPG (2020) and 7.6 RPG (2019) with the Aces. She currently also leads the league in rebounding (13.7 RPG) and shoots a blistering 59.1% from the field, which ranks fourth in the WNBA.
Sparks head coach Curt Miller credited his mentality and mindset for his improvement this season. “She has a lot of personal goals,” Miller said. “He wants them to count on her as the go-to person. Her drive has always made her special in this league, but now she is playing with determination and confidence.”
0:17
Alanna Smith fights through traffic on and-1
Alanna Smith fights through traffic on and-1
2023 statistics: 9.2 points per game, 6.6 RPG, 1.3 points per game in Chicago
2024 stats so far: 16.0 pages, 6.7 RPG, 3.7 BPG
Smith emerged as a Most Improved Player candidate following a career-high 2023 season in Chicago, her first as a full-time starter. She is now part of the Lynx's powerful forward duo, with Napheesa Collier.
Smith's overall efficiency from the field, as well as the 3-point arc, are notable (56.3% from the field and 62.5% on 3-pointers), but he is making his presence felt in other ways, especially in the defensive side. In Minnesota's second game against Seattle, a double overtime victory, the Australian Olympian had 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 6 blocks and 2 assists.
“She just competes so hard,” Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said after the contest. “She was big.” And she's a big reason why the Lynx have established themselves as one of the best teams in the league earlier this season.
Collier spoke earlier this week about how she wanted Smith as a teammate because of how difficult she was to play against in previous years, so much so that she went to dinner with Smith for three hours when they played in Turkey to recruit her. .
“She's really strong, she never gives up, she's aggressive, she makes really smart moves and that's exactly what she's doing with us,” Collier said. “She's doing very well and I'm happy to have gotten her.”
0:21
DiJonai Carrington finishes through contact
DiJonai Carrington ends via contact, 05/17/2024
2023 statistics: 8.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 17.2 MPG
2024 stats so far: 14.8 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 31.8 MPG
Carrington made headlines on opening night defending Caitlin Clark, but has taken on a big role in Connecticut's offense this season after earning a full-time starting role — she's averaging the second-most shots on the team so far ( 13.8 attempts per game), scoring while his 21 points against Washington last week marked the second 20-point outing of his career.
Last year he showed he could be a spark off the bench with his defensive energy and ability to go downhill, but his consistency and discipline this year, Sun coach Stephanie White said, will be key for a team whose guard has long been the X Factor in their championship hopes.
“This is what we expect from her. Her growth, being able to get into the starting lineup, being able to understand that expectation and being able to do it consistently is the challenge, and she did it,” White said. after the Sun's season-opening victory. “This was Step 1 for her, and she will have that challenge every night. Some players just wait for the opportunity, and then they think it will be theirs and they don't take it. She took advantage of it and owned it.”
0:31
Kia Nurse drills the trey
Kia Nurse drills the trey, 05/21/2024
Kia Nurse, G, Los Angeles Sparks
2023 statistics: 5.9 PPG, 35.0% 3FG, 19.7 MPG in Seattle
2024 stats so far: 16.3 PPG, 45.0% 3FG, 31.9 MPG
Nurse has flourished so far in Los Angeles, currently second on the team in scoring behind Hamby and shooting an efficient 54.5%, including 45% on 3-pointers on 6.7 attempts per game. Compare this to his previous career highs: 13.7 PPG (2019), 40% FG (2018), 35.3% 3 FG (2019, 2021). The Canadian Olympian returned from her fall 2021 ACL injury with the Storm last season, where she started half of the games, but said she didn't feel like herself mentally.
Now, with more confidence under her belt and a bigger role in Los Angeles, she “looks like a completely different player” than last year, Miller said, and could help the Sparks make some noise this summer. Miller has also praised Nurse's leadership and voice, key to this young team.
Games to watch this weekend
Indiana Fever (0-5) against Los Angeles Sparks (1-2)
Friday, 10 pm Eastern Time (ION)
The No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 picks of 2024 take the floor in this one, with Caitlin Clark taking on Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson in Los Angeles. This may be the Fever's best chance to get their first win after starting 0-5. Meanwhile, the Sparks are coming off their first win of the season on Tuesday and will host their first home game of the season at Crypto.com Arena. They will look to prove that they are difficult to eliminate after almost defeating the defending champions Aces.
New York Liberty (4-0) at Minnesota Lynx (2-0)
Saturday, 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time (CBS)
New York and Minnesota are coming off crushing losses Thursday night, the Liberty at home against the Sky and the Lynx in overtime on the road against the Sun. And neither of them will want to miss two fights in a row. Both teams were two of the last three undefeated teams in the league heading into Thursday, so this matchup figures to be one of the most compelling of the young season, especially with the Lynx exceeding so many early expectations.
Connecticut Sun (3-0) at Chicago Sky (1-1)
Saturday, 8 pm ET (CBS Sports Network)
The Sky, led by first-year coach Teresa Weatherspoon, showed they are for real by defeating then-undefeated Liberty in Brooklyn on Thursday. They would really turn heads if they are able to follow that up by beating the Sun, the only undefeated team left in the league and a perennial WNBA title contender. And Chicago will likely have plenty of juice for this contest given that it will be the Sky's first home game nearly two weeks since the season ended.
