​There are 180 players in the WNBA, which doesn’t seem like a lot when you think about the level of talent and competition. It’s easy to say it’s one of the toughest jobs in the country—both to land a spot and to hold on to it. Every year, roughly 400,000 girls play high school basketball, yet only 1.2% of them advance to Division I, and among those top Division I players, a mere 0.8% are expected to make a professional team, according to NCAA figures. I touched on parity a few weeks ago and noted how this season’s standings have seen so much movement because teams are evenly matched and the talent pool is so deep. Now it’s time to highlight the players who don’t always grab the headlines but deserve more attention.
The Liberty captured the Commissioner’s Cup title over the Las Vegas Aces last week, becoming the first team to repeat as champions. Breanna Stewart earned MVP honors, and Sabrina Ionescu drilled crucial three-pointers down the stretch. Yet Gardner was a major factor in New York’s success, stepping up with seven points in 12 minutes and shooting 60% from the field. A product of UCLA, Gardner entered the league as a 31-year-old undrafted rookie in 2022 after standout seasons overseas in Turkey, Romania, and Spain. She burst onto the scene with the Chicago Sky, earning a spot on the All-Rookie team. Now she’s playing a key role off the bench for a deep Liberty squad, taking on the toughest defensive assignments, shooting efficiently (50.7% on the season), and staying healthy—an edge the Liberty have sorely needed.
After being traded to the Aces from the Dallas Wings midway through last season, Smith said she “fell in love with the game again.” This season, she’s playing like a champion, starting alongside four-time MVP A’ja Wilson and showcasing some of the best basketball of her career. In 21 games, Smith has the league’s highest field-goal percentage at nearly 66%. She poured in a season-high 29 points on 11-for-14 shooting in an overtime win against the Sky last Friday, all without Wilson, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury. “She’s truly our glue,” Wilson said of her teammate. “She does all the little things.” Smith has stepped up in Wilson’s absence and has more than proved she can answer the call.
Charles has been in and out of the league since 2020, and it now appears she’s found a home with Golden State. Her scoring may not jump off the page—about 6.0 points per game off the bench—but her value extends far beyond points. She averages 4.7 rebounds per game, ranking fifth among guards, and she consistently makes defensive stops in crunch time, hits timely three-pointers, and embodies the hard-nosed identity Golden State has set out to establish. The Maryland product is an unsung contributor who will likely be pivotal come postseason time.
South Carolina fans have watched Okot develop with cautious optimism, hoping she can reach her full potential on the national stage. Her journey through college and into the pros has been marked by steady growth and resilience, and she remains a player to watch as she continues to carve out her niche in the WNBA. The league’s breadth of talent ensures that these players—often under the radar—are essential pieces of their teams’ success, and their contributions help explain why the WNBA remains as competitive and unpredictable as it is.