NFL
By: Stephen PridGeon-Garner
In regards to the MVP race for the W’s 26th season, there’s been great parity and an abundance of options in terms of who is the league’s MVP, subsequently generating conversations and debates of great substance.
You have the long-time mainstays in the conversation with the likes of Stewart, Wilson, Parker. Then elite talents punching up the likes of Plum, Diggins-Smith, and Ionescu. Even outside forces in need of the appropriate attention for their displays of dominance and consistency, like Nneka Ogwumike.
With the field plentiful and plenty hoop left to sort out this group of elite talents, let’s dive into my MVPower Rankings halfway through the 2022 season.
***This is extremely fluid on a near game basis***
1.) A’ja Wilson
18.7 PPG on 49.2/36.7/81.9 shooting · 10.3 RPG · 2.1 BPG · 1.0 SPG
Wilson, under newly hired head coach Becky Hammon and in a brand new system on both ends, had absolutely flourished. Being the center now, she’s been the piece that allows the general new uniqueness to the two-way attack of the Las Vegas Aces.
Offensively, they can now play variations of 5-out sets. Having her at the dome for any pistol or underneath actions with her abundance of skill automatically provides them with a different style pressure point than they’d had in years past. Her all-encompassing threat as a scorer, cutter, roller, post up, and passing is ever-threatening to the paint and that consistently pulls at the strings of opposing defenses, especially when she’s operating as the hub. The added floor spacing with her at the 5 puts opposing front court pieces in precarious situations time and time again, allowing them to be in a position of dictating in the halfcourt.
Defensively, the ability to provide and execute in both lineup and scheme versatility, to the extent of keeping offenses off balance due to all that she can do, puts them in a position of dictating defensively as well as reading and reacting effectively. Add to that her ability to provide rim protection independent of defending in space, and you see the perfect storm of stress she gives the opposition.
She’s flourishing in year five, averaging a double-double and a career-high 52.1 eFG%, leading the attack of the most high-powered attack in the W.
2.) Candace Parker
14.1 PPG on 46.9/38.5/87.0 shooting · 8.8 RPG · 4.9 APG · 1.8 SPG
Miss Parker, Miss Parker. Age ain’t nothing but a number.
If you watch Candace Parker hoop, especially in this recent stretch of games, the last thing on your mind is that the end of the road “might” be near. I’ve seen her trail Copper and Gardner in transition for putbacks, defend/hedge/switch well north of the 3-point line out in space, play sideline to sideline defensively, jump passing lanes, lead fastbreaks in a signature manner as the #PointForward, and continue to add to her game (mainly via 3-point viability).
In terms of the defense, it’s been absolutely insane. She tallied 12 deflections last game per coach James Wade (who, though he’s spoken at nauseum about how great Meeseman has been with her hands all season, mentioned that he’d never coached a player who’s had that many deflections in a game). She’s surely (still) the best in defending at the level with aggression in scheme, with plenty of juice left in lateral movement combined with IQ and hand activity.
There were a FEW instances from today but it was the defense here, ATO, that stood out most to me most
Notice Candace out in space redirecting, then also notice Azurá's backline activity in kicking Candace out two times
Candace then finishes the sequence with a corner pocket 3 https://t.co/3rF89Lu1pj pic.twitter.com/ulxlswvaCU
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) July 2, 2022
There’s a heightened level of accountability and play when she is in the lineup for the reigning champions, the demand that comes with being on her team is always one with the aim of winning at the foundation. The Sky continue to do just that.
In terms of efficiency, she’s enjoying her best shot quality as well as effective field goal percentage (per PBP Stats).
There’s also this, further stamping the claim of this being the best shooting run of her career from deep.
🔆 Good morning 🔆
In Candace Parkers last 10 games played, the Sky are 9-1 & she's averaging:
15.7 PPG · 8.8 RPG · 5.3 APG · 1.1 BPG · 0.9 SPGOh, & she's shooting 50/44.4/93.5 in this window too (MVP talk is further validated by the week if you're watching the games..) pic.twitter.com/WmvonTt5oU
— Stephen PridGeon ☯️🏁 (@StayTrueSDot3) July 13, 2022
Generally speaking, her leadership both vocally and by example have been exemplary, and the value she provides on a nightly basis is impossible to ignore. She’s edged out by Wilson for me at the moment due to a “somewhat” slow start, whereas Wilsons had her foot on the gas from the jump. Nonetheless, Parker is as deserving as anyone for MVP, and her all-encompassing two-way impacts have her planted atop my DPOY ranks.
3.) Breanna Stewart
20.9 PPG 45.1/36.2/86.9 · 7.1 RPG · 2.9 APG · 1.9 SPG · 1.1 BPG
Stewie is, well, Stewie. So far this season, due to injuries/Covid/etc., she’s had to do a different type of two-way heavy-lifting for coach Noelle Quinn.
With the variance in lineups that they saw from game to game to start the season, for them to be 16-8 is a testament to all she’s been able to shoulder.
She presently leads the W in win shares if that is your cup of tea in terms of comparing players’ impacts. She’s also leading in scoring.
It’s beyond impressive to see just how great she has been with the activity defensively both on ball and in rotation, doing everything with great activity. She stops so many actions with positioning combined with her mobility and activity. They bank on remaining on schedule when she’s on the floor defensively, and that has them properly equipped for playoff hoop as the finish line nears.
