As the 2026 WNBA regular season tips off in less than a week, all eyes are on the league's brightest stars—and one name is generating serious buzz. ESPN has released its annual ranking of the top 50 players heading into the new season, and rookie sensation Caitlin Clark has landed an impressive spot in the top 10.
On April 30, a panel of four ESPN women's basketball reporters unveiled the list, which evaluates players based on their projected impact for the upcoming season. The rankings exclude rookies and unsigned players but account for injured stars expected to return within the first two months. Clark, the former Iowa standout, was named the 10th-best player in the league—a remarkable achievement for a player entering just her third season.
Clark is one of three Indiana Fever players to make the list, joining Aliyah Boston at No. 14 and Kelsey Mitchell at No. 11. ESPN's Kareem Copeland highlighted Clark's historic rookie campaign, noting she received the fourth-most MVP votes while setting a single-season league record for assists and recording the second-most 3-point field goals in a season. "She became one of the league's best passers and long-range shooters the moment she stepped onto a WNBA court," Copeland wrote, adding that she was "just getting started" when she earned Rookie of the Year and first-team All-WNBA honors in 2024.
Injuries limited Clark to just 13 games in 2025, but she still earned an All-Star nod. The Fever finished 24-20 last season, making their first postseason appearance since 2016 before falling 2-3 to the Aces in the semifinals. Now, after returning to competitive action with Team USA during the FIBA World Cup qualifier in March, Clark is back to 100% and ready to lead Indiana into the 2026 season.
Here's a look at ESPN's top 10 WNBA players heading into the 2026 season, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying year of basketball. The Fever open their season on May 9 against the Dallas Wings, with the league pausing for a 17-day break in September for the FIBA World Cup.