With the 2025 WNBA preseason getting underway, ESPN’s experts have shaken up their Top 25 rankings again— it just shows how stacked the league is right now. Caitlin Clark, whose jaw-dropping rookie year has already made waves.
Fever preseason ticket sales have jumped a wild 497%. She’s making that kind of impact both on the court and off it. So let’s take a look at the complete list and break down how the rankings were decided ahead of the season opener.
Caitlin Clark Falls to Fourth Behind A’ja Wilson
A’ja Wilson is back on top, and it’s no surprise. The reigning MVP reminded everyone why she’s the best in the game, dominating all season long. At 28, she put up the best numbers of her career: 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game during the 2024 season. It wasn’t just impressive—it was one of the greatest individual seasons the WNBA’s ever seen.
Her scoring average shattered Diana Taurasi’s 2006 record, cementing Wilson’s case as the most complete force in the league. Napheesa Collier (No. 2) and Breanna Stewart (No. 3) rounded out the podium, highlighting ESPN’s emphasis on proven postseason excellence.
Collier earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and led the Lynx to their first Finals since 2017, while Stewart posted three straight playoff double-doubles on the way to the Liberty’s inaugural championship.
By comparison, Caitlin Clark made an electrifying rookie impact but lacks the seasoned track record of her peers. As Alexa Philippou observed, “Clark dazzled as a rookie, particularly in the second half of the season, on her way to earning first‑team All‑WNBA honors and finishing fourth in MVP voting.”
Philippou added, “With a new coach and some key free agency additions, Clark will have to adjust to playing in a new system and with new teammates.”
The Road Ahead for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever
During the offseason, Clark focused intensely on strength training, entering Year 2 with a noticeably stronger physique designed to withstand the season.
New head coach Stephanie White agreed: “Being able to address getting in the weight room, getting stronger, being able to stay on balance, better time under tension, core stability, all of those things,” White remarked. “Then to be able to get in the gym and really hone in on some nuance of her game, that’s going to help her get to another level.”
Clark’s preseason return to Iowa City offered an early glimpse of her maturation, as she posted 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists in a 108‑44 exhibition win, igniting her home crowd. Combined with ESPN Bets placing her ahead of Wilson in MVP odds, these developments underscore sky‑high expectations for her sophomore campaign.