In last year’s WNBA All-Star voting, Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson stole the headlines—one as a rookie phenomenon, the other as a reigning MVP. Even now, they remain the most dominant names in the WNBA.
But when Carmelo Anthony was recently asked to name his favorite current WNBA player, he didn’t choose either of them. Instead, he spotlighted a four-time All-Star who’s been making her mark with consistency and quiet dominance: Napheesa Collier.
Carmelo Anthony Picks Surprise Favorite Over Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson
Clark is the one name that has sent the entire basketball world into a frenzy since joining the Indiana Fever as a rookie last year. She was dominant during her college years, and everyone agrees she has successfully maintained that fame in the pro league as well.
Simply put, she’s still taking the basketball world by storm. Her three-point shooting is often compared to NBA great Stephen Curry — it’s that precise. And, in our view, she is currently the most popular female basketball player on the planet.
On the other hand, no matter how much we talk about WNBA MVP Wilson, it will be less. She can absolutely challenge Clark for that place. After all, she’s the reigning MVP and deserves every bit of recognition. Right now, in terms of pure dominance on the court, no one’s numbers in the women’s league can match hers.
But the NBA legend isn’t going with the usual names. Recently, he surprised fans by naming a different star as his current favorite: Napheesa Collier, the four-time WNBA All-Star and the Minnesota Lynx’s standout forward.
The revelation came during a casual “Close Friends Only” Instagram Q&A session with his son, Kiyan Anthony, where the two shared the names of their favorite female basketball players.
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Kiyan picked Sabrina Ionescu, saying, “Sabrina (Ionescu). She plays on the Liberty from New York and just won us a chip.” But his father, Anthony, chose Collier, noting, “Probably Sheryl Swoopes would be my favorite, like, women’s basketball player of all time. Right now, it would definitely be Napheesa Collier.”
No offense to Collier’s caliber, but she perfectly represents an underrated star, at least when it comes to the media spotlight. That’s why we believe Anthony’s pick will ultimately surprise many in the community, especially given that neither he nor Kiyan chose Clark or Wilson.