WNBA Most Improved Player


The Women's National Basketball Association's Most Improved Player Award is an annual Women's National Basketball Association award given since the 2000 WNBA season, to the most improved player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters throughout the United States, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award.
In 2019, Leilani Mitchell became the first player in history to win the award twice, after winning the award in 2010. In 2004, there was a tie -- both Kelly Miller and Wendy Palmer received the award. Nicole Powell, Natasha Howard, and Jackie Young are the only players to win the Most Improved award and a WNBA title in the same year.

Winners

SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityTeamFirst-Place VotesRef.
2000Tari Phillips2Forward / CenterNew York Liberty19 out of 62
2001Janeth Arcain5GuardHouston Comets25 out of 60
2002Coco Miller2GuardWashington Mystics14 out of 60
2003Michelle Snow2Forward / CenterHouston Comets 22 out of 53
2004Kelly Miller4GuardIndiana Fever9 out of 48
2004Wendy Palmer8ForwardConnecticut Sun9 out of 48
2005Nicole Powell2ForwardSacramento Monarchs20 out of 49
2006Erin Buescher5ForwardSacramento Monarchs 28 out of 56
2007Janel McCarville3CenterNew York Liberty 33 out of 51
2008Ebony Hoffman5ForwardIndiana Fever 31 out of 44
2009Crystal Langhorne2ForwardWashington Mystics 19 out of 40
2010Leilani Mitchell3GuardNew York Liberty 29 out of 39
2011Kia Vaughn3CenterNew York Liberty 15 out of 40
2012Kristi Toliver4GuardLos Angeles Sparks24 out of 41
2013Shavonte Zellous5GuardIndiana Fever 30 out of 39
2014Skylar Diggins-Smith2GuardTulsa Shock29 out of 38
2015Kelsey Bone3CenterConnecticut Sun 14 out of 39
2016Elizabeth Williams2Forward / CenterAtlanta Dream14 out of 39
2017Jonquel Jones2Forward / CenterConnecticut Sun 32 out of 40
2018Natasha Howard5ForwardSeattle Storm29 out of 39
2019Leilani Mitchell 11GuardPhoenix Mercury27 out of 43
2020Betnijah Laney5Forward / GuardAtlanta Dream 25 out of 47
2021Brionna Jones5ForwardConnecticut Sun 38 out of 49
2022Jackie Young4GuardLas Vegas Aces32 out of 56
2023Satou Sabally4ForwardDallas Wings 37 out of 60
2024DiJonai Carrington4GuardConnecticut Sun 28 out of 67
2025Veronica Burton4GuardGolden State Valkyries68 out of 72

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