The greatest WNBA player from every state

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The greatest WNBA player from every state

A'ja Wilson — Golden State Valkyries v Las Vegas Aces - Game Three | Jeff Bottari/GettyImages

Justin Carter · FanSided

Mon, Nov 2, 2026 ·

22 min read

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There have been a number of great players in WNBA history, but the geographical distribution of those great players hasn't always been even. Larger states tend to produce more "legends" than smaller states, and some smaller states haven't even produced a single WNBA player.

With all that mind, who is the best WNBA player from each state? From big names like A'ja Wilson and Cynthia Cooper to lesser known players who only spent a few seasons in the league, here is each state's top WNBA player ever.

Alabama: DeWanna Bonner

Atlanta Dream forward DeWanna Bonner | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The No. 5 overall pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft, DeWanna Bonner opened her career with three consecutive Sixth Player of the Year awards before moving into a stating role in 2012. She has six All-Star appearances to her name and is one of the most productive players in WNBA history. Bonner is third all-time in field goal attempts, second in games played and third in minutes played, and her 8,243 points rank behind only Diana Taurasi and Tina Charles.

Alaska: Jessica Moore

A second-round pick in 2005, Jessica Moore was never one of the WNBA's top players, but she still managed to stick in the league for nine seasons. Her best year was in 2009 with the Indiana Fever, as Moore averaged a career-high 4.8 points and 3.1 rebounds per game. She spent time with six different franchises, finishing her career in 2013 by playing in two games for the Washington Mystics.

Arizona: Nicole Powell

The No. 3 overall pick in 2004, Nicole Powell struggled for the Charlotte Sting, averaging just 12.4 minutes per game. A trade the next offseason to Sacramento saved Powell's career, as she won Most Improved Player in 2005. She made her lone All-Star appearance in 2009, averaging 16.7 points per game for the Monarchs, but her numbers dropped again after the Monarchs folded and Powell ended up in New York via the dispersal draft.

Arkansas: Shameka Christon

It took a bit for Shameka Christon to find her footing in the WNBA. Picked at No. 5 overall by the Liberty in 2004, she came off the bench for two seasons and then eventually made the All-Star roster in 2009, averaging a career-high 16.1 points per game in her final season with New York. Unfortunately, a double whammy of injuries halted all that momentum. In 2010, she missed 24 games with a corneal abrasion, and then she missed all of 2011 after suffering a knee injury in training camp.

California: Lisa Leslie

There have been a number of great WNBA players from California, but Lisa Leslie stands out as the best of them all. The three-time MVP and eight-time All-Star is arguably a top-10 player of all time. She ranks third in WNBA history in blocks, eighth in rebounds and 16th in points. Leslie was one of the early faces of the league and spent her entire career with the Los Angeles Sparks. She also never finished outside of the top 10 in MVP voting.

Colorado: Alysha Clark

Dallas Wings forward Alysha Clark | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Alysha Clark isn't one of the best WNBA players of all time, but she is one of the best WNBA role players of all time. The 2023 Sixth Player of the Year has been part of three championship rosters and has earned a spot on the All-Defensive team twice. She might go down as the best player to never be named an All-Star, though she likely makes it in 2020 if COVID hadn't led to there being no All-Star Game. She averaged 10.0 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Connecticut: Rebecca Lobo

Rebecca Lobo's WNBA career didn't reach the same heights as her college career, but she played well in the league's inaugural season, averaging 12.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for the Liberty. Unfortunately for Lobo, a torn ACL in the first game of the 1999 season and a subsequent re-injury of the knee before the 2000 season proved to be essentially the end of her pro career. She returned in 2001, but averaged just 5.3 minutes per game. She returned to the state of Connecticut in 2003, playing her final WNBA season with the Sun. She would retire after that season.

Delaware: Elena Delle Donne

Elena Delle Donne is one of the biggest "what ifs" in WNBA history. One of the most skilled players ever, various injuries shortened her time in the league, but not before she could win a pair of MVPs, a scoring title and a WNBA championship. Her career 19.5 points per game ranks fourth in league history, and she also has the lowest career turnover rate among qualifying players. Delle Donne likely goes down as a top-five player ever if she plays a full pro career.

Florida: Sylvia Fowles

Sylvia Fowles was one of the most quietly consistent players in league history . You could always count on her to score 15 points, pull down nine boards and block a couple of shots every night. Her production led to her winning MVP in 2017 as well as four Defensive Player of the Year awards and 11 appearances on the All-Defensive team. Fowles is one of the elite shot blockers of all time, ranking fourth in league history with 721 blocks. She's also second in career rebounds.

Georgia: Allisha Gray

Current Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray just barely beats out early WNBA star Teresa Edwards for the title of best player born in Georgia. The 2017 Rookie of the Year spent six seasons with the Dallas Wings, where she never quite found her footing. Once she moved to Atlanta, Gray reeled off four consecutive All-Star nods and has been one of the league's best players for the past two seasons.

Hawaii: N/A

No player born in Hawaii has ever appeared in a WNBA game.

Idaho: Andrea Lloyd-Curry

Andrea Lloyd-Curry spent two seasons with the Minnesota Lynx. In 1999, she averaged 6.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, but just 14 games into the 2020 season, Lloyd-Curry tore her ACL and never played in the WNBA again. She goes down as one of the players who would have benefited most from the WNBA coming about a decade earlier.

Illinois: Cynthia Cooper

One of the true greats of women's basketball, Cynthia Cooper was in her mid-30s when the WNBA launched. In the first four seasons of the league, Cooper won two MVPs, four championships, four Finals MVPs and three scoring titles. The only thing keeping Cooper from having a strong case for being the league's undisputed GOAT is that her tenure in the league last just four seasons (plus a random four-game stint in 2003).

Indiana: Skylar Diggins

Chicago Sky guard Skylar Diggins | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Seven-time All-Star Skylar Diggins struggled a bit to adjust to the league as a rookie, but then immediately exploded in Year 2, winning Most Improved Player and making First-team All-WNBA. She's remained one of the league's best guards ever since, and she sits in the top 10 for all-time assists in the league wth 1,861, as well as the top 25 in career points scored. Diggins has achieved this all despite sitting out both 2019 and 2023 for maternity leave.

Iowa: Caitlin Clark

Former Iowa Hawkeyes star Caitlin Clark has only played three seasons in the WNBA (and missed over half of her second one), but she's already made a huge impact, winning Rookie of the Year in 2024 and finishing fourth in MVP voting in both 2024 and 2026. Her 22.3 points per game in 2026 ranked third in the league, and Clark led the league in assists as a rookie. While Marion, Iowa native Kiah Stokes currently has a case for this title as well with her multiple All-Defensive team selections, Clark's scoring and playmaking give her this spot.

Kansas: Ruth Riley

While Ruth Riley was only an All-Star once, she was part of two title-winnng teams and was the 2003 Finals MVP for Detroit. Riley only averaged double-digit points once, but her shot-blocking ability helped keep her employed in the WNBA for 12 seasons. Her 505 career blocked shots rank 11th in league history. (Riley also committed more fouls tha almost anyone, with the eighth-most fouls committed in league history).

Kentucky: Kym Hampton

Another player whose career would look a lot stronger if the WNBA had existed a decade earlier, Kym Hampton was only in the league for three seasons before retiring. She started all 90 games she played for the New York Liberty, earning an All-Star nod in 1999 and finishing eighth in MVP voting that season. It would be her final year in the league despite Hampton still being very productive that season, posting averages of 9.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.

Louisiana: Seimone Augustus

Minnesota Lynx guard Seimone Augustus | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the most decorated players of all time, Seimone Augustus won four WNBA titles and was named the Finals MVP in 2011. She was an eight-time All-Star and the 2006 Rookie of the Year. While Augustus might have never been the best player in the league, she's certainly one of the great players of her era. Her 15.4 points per game during her career rank 28th in league history, and she'd likely be at least a few spots higher if her scoring hadn't taken a backseat during her final two seasons.

Maine: Cindy Blodgett

Maine hasn't produced much in the way of WNBA players, with only Cindy Blodgett and Mackenzie Holmes hailing from the state. Blodgett was in the league for parts of four seasons with Cleveland and Sacramento, with her best season coming in her final WNBA campaign in 2001, when she averaged 3.1 points and 0.8 rebounds per game. She later served as the head coach at her alma mater, Maine.

Maryland: Angel McCoughtry

The best player from Maryland is named Angel. The only question is if the answer is Angel McCoughtry or Angel Reese. While Reese is making her move on the claim, McCoughtry still comes out ahead for now after a career that saw her lead the league in both scoring and steals twice. She was a seven-time All-Defensive selection as well, making her one of the most well-rounded guards of the 2010s. Injury issues late in her career prevented her from getting higher than 23rd in all-time points scored.

Massachusetts: Veronica Burton

Veronica Burton hasn't been in the WNBA long, but she's already made a huge impact, especially since joining the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. She finished top 10 in the MVP voting and made an All-Defensive team in both 2025 and 2026, and won Most Improved Player in 2025. Burton is a great example of how expansion helps the league, because she barely saw the floor with Dallas and Connecticut in her first three seasons before breaking out as the starting point guard for the expansion Valkyries.

Michigan: Deanna Nolan

Deanna Nolan (or Tweety, as she was often called) played nine seasons with the Detroit Shock, making four All-Star appearances, five All-Defensive team appearances and wining three titles, with Nolan named the MVP of the 2006 Finals. Nolan played her final season in 2009, finishing eighth in MVP voting that season and making Second-team All-WNBA. After that, she only played professionally in Russia.

Minnesota: Lindsay Whalen

Minnesota Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When you think about women's basketball in Minnesota, Lindsay Whalen immediately springs to mind. The three-time assist champion and five-time All-Star won a high school championship in the state, then won Big Ten Player of the Year at Minnesota and then, after playing six seasons with the Connecticut Sun, she landed with the Minnesota Lynx in 2011. Following her playing career, she stuck around the state as the University of Minnesota head coach.

Mississippi: Ruthie Bolton

Ruthie Bolton is another "what could have been" player. She was already 30 when she joined the WNBA for its inaugural season, averaging 19.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.3 steals per game, and making First-team All-WNBA. That would be the high point of Bolton's WNBA career, though he would make All-Star appearances in 1999 and 2001. She spent all eight of her WNBA seasons with Sacramento.

Missouri: Maya Moore

Maya Moore is a "what could have been" player, but in a different way, as she ended her career early by choice to work on criminal justice reform. Before that, though, Moore played eight seasons with the Lynx, where she won four WNBA titles and earned the 2014 MVP award. She also won the scoring title that season, then led the league in steals in 2018. Moore ranks ninth in all-time points per game and finished outside of the top 10 in MVP voting just once.

Montana:Cass Bauer-Bilodeau

Cass Bauer-Bilodeau spent four seasons in the WNBA. The Montana State star began her career in the ABL, where she was the league's all-time leader in free throw percentage, before joining the WNBA in 1999. Her best season was in 2000 with the Charlotte Sting, whenBauer-Bilodeau averaged 2.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game. She retired after the 2002 season due to knee issues.

Nebraska: Yvonne Turner

Yvonne Turner has one of the WNBA's strangest careers. After going undrafted out of Nebraska in 2010, Turner played internationally, not making her WNBA debut until 2017 with the Mercury. She averaged 5.1 points per game as a rookie and had her best season in 2019, averaging 6.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. A knee injury cost her the 2020 season, and she didn't play in 201, but she played nine games for three different teams in 2022 before ending her career in 2023 with Seattle.

Nevada: Gabby Williams

Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

International commitments have sometimes limited Gabby Williams' availability, but at her best, she's one of the best two-way wings of the current WNBA generation. Williams has been named First-team All-Defense in back-to-back seasons and in 2026, she finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year race, with voters giving her credit for the Golden State Valkyries having the league's best defense. Williams also averaged a career-high 14.4 points per game in 2026.

New Hampshire: Taylor Soule

New Hampshire is another state without many pro standouts, which is why Taylor Soule lands in this spot despite a WNBA career that lasted just 17 games. Her best season was in 2023 with the Chicago Sky, when Soule played in 15 games, averaging 0.6 points and 0.5 rebounds per game. Prior to her WNBA career, she played at Boston College and Virginia Tech, and she was the ACC's Most Improved Player in 2020.

New Jersey: Tamika Catchings

From a state with no real standouts to a state that's home to one of the best players in league history, we arrive at New Jersey's representative, Tamika Catchings. The long-time Indiana Fever star is the best defensive wing in WNBA history, winning five Defensive Player of the Year awards and leading the league in steals seven times. She won MVP in 2011 and led the Fever to a championship in 2012. Catchings is the all-time win shares leader by a very wide margin.

New Mexico: Brittainey Raven

The list of WNBA players born in New Mexico is shockingly short. There's Cisti Greenwalt, there'sBrittainey Raven, and...that might be it. Of the two, Raven played in the most games, appearing in 23 contests for the Atlanta Dream in 2010, with averages of 5.4 minutes, 1.5 points and 0.9 rebounds per game. Greenwalt played in five games in 2006 with the Storm,scoring a total of two points on from the free throw line.

New York: Breanna Stewart

New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

From a state with no stars to a state with a number of them. How does one even go about picking the best WNBA player from New York? Well...Breanna Stewart's two MVP awards and eight All-Star nods make her the player with the strongest case. Stewie was the 2022 scoring champ and has been part of three championships, winning Finals MVP twice. Still, it feels wrong to leave out great players like Tina Charles and Sue Bird here. u[

North Carolina: Andrea Stinson

Once again, we have a player who saw a chunk of her prime missed because the WNBA didn't yet exist, though Andrea Stinson remained a good player into her late 30s. She was a three-time All-Star with the Charlotte Sting, and in the league's inaugural 1997 season she finished second in MVP voting after averaging 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.5 steals per contest.

North Dakota: N/A

No player born in North Dakota has played in a WNBA game.

Ohio: Katie Smith

Hall of Fame guard Katie Smith missed the first two seasons of the WNBA to play in the ABL, where she won two titles, but she was immediately impactful once coming to the WNBA. Smith was a seven-time All-Star and won the scoring title in 2001. She won two championships with the Detroit Shock, taking home the Finals MVP award in 2008. Smith ranks third in WNBA history in 3-point makes and 13th in career points scored.

Oklahoma: Betty Lennox

Betty Lennox spent 12 seasons in the WNBA, and it could be argued that her rookie season in 2000 was easily her best, as she made her only All-Star appearance and walked away with Rookie of the Year. A hip injury in 2001 impacted her performance for a bit, though Lennox would later rediscover her form, averaging a career-best 17.5 points per game in 2008. A knee injury in 2010 would prove to be the effective end of her WNBA career, as she played just nine games for Tulsa the next season before retiring.

Oregon: Mercedes Russell

While some big name players played college basketball in Oregon, the state hasn't produced a ton of players who are actually from the state. 2018 second-round pick Mercedes Russell stands out as the top one. She's never been a star, but Russell played some solid seasons for the Seattle Storm. She was third in Most Improved Player votng in 2019, posting averages of 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds.

Pennsylvania: Alyssa Thomas

One of the most unique players in league history, Alyssa Thomas is basically a freight train with a basketball. Shoulder issues prevented her from developing much of a jump shot, but she made up for that with her ability to barrel the ball to the bucket. Thomas has also led the league in assists twice, steals once and rebounds once. While she's never averaged a double-double, she's come close multiple times, and also has come closer than any player in WNBA history has to average a triple-double in 2025, posting averages of 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 9.2 assists per contest.

Rhode Island: Azura Stevens

Chicago Sky forward-center Azura Stevens | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Azura Stevens has been a high-level role player for the past decade, including playing a key role in Chicago's 2021 championship. She's finished in the top five of the Sixth Player of the Year voting twice, and in 2025 she was second in Most Improved Player voting after averaging 12.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Stevens ranks in the top 50 in WNBA history in rebounds and blocks per game.

South Carolina: A'ja Wilson

A'ja Wilson might be the greatest player in WNBA history , so it should come as no surprise that she's also the greatest WNBA player born in South Carolina. The five-time MVP -- no one else in league history has won more than three -- has three scoring titles and six block titles. She's won three WNBA championships and has been the Finals MVP in two of those series. She's currently the league's best offensive and best defensive player. No matter how you slice it, Wilson stands out above the rest of the WNBA, both now and historically.

South Dakota: Becky Hammon

Before she was a championship-winning head coach, Becky Hammon was one of the league's best guards. A six-time All-Star, Hammon led the league in assists in 2007 and ranks 10th in WNBA history in total assists. She wasn't just a passer, though, as her 5,841 career points rank in the top 25 ever, and she was especially lethal as a long-range shooter, with her 829 made 3-pointers putting her fifth in league history. In 2007, Hammon came as close as she ever did to winning MVP, finishing second in the voting after a season that saw her average 18.8 points and 5.0 assists per contest.

Tennessee: Rhyne Howard

Tennessee is another state whose colleges overshadow its homegrown talent, which is why it's interesting that the best player born in the state, Rhyne Howard, didn't actually go to Tennessee but instead opted to play at Kentucky. Howard, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, has already made four All-Star appearances and in 2026, she led the WNBA in steals. She also has a pair of top-10 finishes in MVP voting on her resume as well, and in 2026 she was fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Howard's unique blend of scoring ability and steal ability makes her one of the league's top players.

Texas: Sheryl Swoopes

What's there to even say about Sheryl Swoopes? If you know much about women's basketball in Texas, you know that West Texas is a strong region, so it makes sense that that area produced the state's best player. Swoopes won three WNBA MVP awards and four WNBA championships. She was the league's leading scorer twice and the Defensive Player of the Year three times. She did all this despite missing the 2001 season with an ACL injury, and also missing out on the first few seasons of her theoretical career because the WNBA didn't launch until four seasons after her college career ended.

Utah: Erin Thorne

Uah might not have produced a ton of great women's basketball players, but Erin Thorn deserves recognition for managing to stick in the league so long. Drafted in 2003, Thorn played 11 seasons in the WNBA. Her best campaign was in 2007, when Thorn averaged a career-high 9.7 points per game. She also added 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per contest that season.While she finished her career without any major awards, she did win a Player of the Week award in May 2007.

Vermont: Nicole Levesque

Vermont is another state without much of a track record when it comes to producing WNBA players. Nicole Levesque played in 27 games during the league's inaugural 1997 season with the Charlotte Sting, starting in 21 of those. She averaged 4.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 0.8 steals per game. That would be her only season in the WNBA.

Virginia: Kristi Toliver

Kristi Toliver remains one of the league's more underrated players. A three-time All-Star, Toliver played 14 seasons in the WNBA, winning Most Improved Player in 2012 after averaging 17.5 points, 4.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game. She landed on the All-WNBA Second Team that season. Toliver had two really good All-Star seasons in her early 30s with the Mystics in 2018 and 2019, but opted out of the 2020 bubble season. Her numbers were never really the same after returning in 2021, but she still had a very strong career overall.

Washington: Courtney Vandersloot

Chicago Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Courtney Vandersloot might be the best pure passing point guard in league history. Maybe she wasn't the best at creating her own shot, but she could create for others, leading the league in assists seven times. The five-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion is second all-time in total assists and assists per game. She finished in the top 10 of MVP voting four times and was selected to a pair of All-WNBA First Teams.

West Virginia: Renee Montgomery

Before Renee Montgomery was a part-owner of the Atlanta Dream, she was a high-level WNBA guard. An All-Star in 2011 for the Sun, Montgomery finished in the top five of the Sixth Player of the Year voting three times, including taking home the award in 2012. She was also part of two WNBA title-winning teams. Montgomery was a strong 3-point shooter, currently ranking 20th in WNBA history in made 3-pointers.

Wisconsin: Arike Ogunbowale

After a college career full of game-winning shots, Arike Ogunbowale was drafted at No. 5 overall by the Dallas Wings in 2019. She's spent her entire career with the franchise, with four All-Star appearances to her name as well as the 2020 scoring title. She also led the WNBA in steals in 2024. While her numbers have dipped over the past two seasons as she's shared the floor with Paige Bueckers, Ogunbowale is still relied upon to make big shots for the Wings and remains capable of completing taking over a game.

Wyoming: N/A

While the Phoenix Mercury drafted Tahnee Robinson in the third round in 2011, she never appeared in a WNBA game.

More WNBA news and analysis:

This article was originally published on www.fansided.com as The greatest WNBA player from every state .

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