The 2023 WNBA regular season is set to tip off on Friday night, and there's no shortage of storylines that fans will be watching throughout the year. Can A'ja Wilson win another MVP and lead the Aces to their second-straight WNBA title, or will Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones get the new-look Liberty back to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2002?
We also have the return of Brittney Griner, who missed last season while detained in Russia. Having her back on the floor is fantastic news for the Mercury and the WNBA. Finally, the Fever added No. 1 overall pick Aliyah Boston to the roster, and she will look to bring Indiana back to prominence.
As for this season's MVP race, Stewart and reigning MVP Wilson are the favorites, which isn't surprising after they finished first and second, respectively, last season. However, they will have some competition for the award, as Elena Delle Donne, Kelsey Plum, Sabrina Ionescu, Brittney Griner, Rhyne Howard, and Arike Ogunbowale will all have a say in how the MVP race plays out.
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Below, we’ll break down the favorites to win MVP this season and some sleepers who could surprise us by the end of the year.
2023 WNBA MVP Odds
| Player | Odds |
| Breanna Stewart, Liberty | +300 |
| A'ja Wilson, Aces | +350 |
| Elena Delle Donne, Mystics | +700 |
| Kelsey Plum, Aces | +700 |
| Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty | +800 |
| Brittney Griner, Mercury | +1400 |
| Alyssa Thomas, Sun | +2000 |
| Rhyne Howard, Dream | +3000 |
| Nneka Ogwumike, Sparks | +3500 |
| Jonquel Jones, Liberty | +4000 |
| Candace Parker, Aces | +4000 |
| Napheesa Collier, Lynx | +4000 |
| Arike Ogunbowale, Wings | +4000 |
| Skylar Diggins-Smith, Mercury | +4000 |
| Aliyah Boston, Fever | +6000 |
| Jewell Loyd, Storm | +8000 |
| Kelsey Mitchell, Fever | +8000 |
| DeWanna Bonner, Sun | +10000 |
| Natasha Cloud, Mystics | +10000 |
| Diamond DeShields, Wings | +10000 |
| Diana Taurasi, Mercury | +10000 |
| Jackie Young, Aces | +10000 |
| Brionna Jones, Sun | +10000 |
| Courtney Vandersloot, Liberty | +10000 |
| Ariel Atkins, Mystics | +10000 |
| Kahleah Copper, Sky | +10000 |
| Chelsea Gray, Aces | +10000 |
| Natasha Howard, Wings | +10000 |
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WNBA MVP 2023 odds: Favorites
Breanna Stewart, Liberty (+300). Stewart is trying to win her second MVP in her first season with the Liberty. The four-time All-Star and two-time WNBA champion shockingly moved on from the Storm this offseason. In her final season with Seattle, Stewart averaged 21.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 47.2/37.9/83.7 shooting splits, narrowly missing out on her second MVP.
Stewart might not average 21.8 points per game this season, as New York also has Jonquel Jones in the frontcourt, but if the Liberty finish with the best record in the WNBA, Stewart will get a lot of attention.
A'ja Wilson, Aces (+350). Wilson won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year last season. The 26-year-old superstar dominated on both ends, averaging 19.5 points, 9.4 assists, 1.4 steals (career-high), and a 97 defensive rating. She'll share the frontcourt with future Hall-of-Famer Candace Parker this year, which will only make her better.
At +350 odds to win league MVP, Wilson isn't a bad wager, especially if the Aces finish with the best record in the league again. Sticking with Las Vegas, keep an eye out on Kelsey Plum (+700), who is coming off a marvelous 2022 season where she averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from three-point range.
WNBA MVP 2023 odds: Sleepers
Rhyne Howard, Dream (+3000). Howard is poised to take another step in her second season after a great first year with the Dream. The former No. 1 overall pick provided a little of everything for Atlanta, as she was tied for first on the team in scoring (16.2 points per game) while contributing 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. If Atlanta wants to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2018, a lot of it will fall on Howard's shoulders.
However, the former University of Kentucky star won't have to do it alone, as the Dream added vets Allisha Gray and Danielle Robinson and drafted Haley Jones with the No. 6 pick in this year's draft. Playing with Gray, who's coming off a stellar 2022 campaign with the Wings (13.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.5 APG), will hopefully open up more opportunities for Howard on the offensive end, making the latter worth a small wager at +3000.
Arike Ogunbowale, Wings (+4000). Ogunbowale is a walking bucket, and the Wings will be looking for her to build off her All-Star season in 2022. Only Breanna Stewart (21.8) and Kelsey Plum (20.2) averaged more than Ogunbowale's 19.7 ppg last season.
The 26-year-old superstar has a great chance to lead the league in scoring after the Wings lost Allisha Gray (traded to the Dream), Marina Mabrey (traded to Chicago), and Kayla Thornton (traded to the Sun) this offseason. To make things more interesting, the Wings announced on Wednesday that Diamond DeShields will miss extended time because of a knee injury. Nevertheless, Dallas will still be in good shape with Natasha Howard, Crystal Dangerfield, Ashley Joens, Teiara McCowan, Satou Sabally, and rookie Maddy Siegrist. However, for the Wings to win 20-plus games and make a run in the playoffs, Ogunbowale has to lead the way, which makes her an intriguing bet at +4000.