Analysis

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-199787" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1.png" alt="" width="2560" height="100" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1.png 2560w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-300x12.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-1024x40.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-768x30.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-1536x60.png 1536w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/06/2560-x-100-1-2048x80.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />
Editor&#8217;s Note: Read more WNBA coverage from the Athletic <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/wnba/">here</a>. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its teams.
***
Editor’s note: This article is part of the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/tag/programbuilders/" data-index="0">Program Builders</a> series, focusing on the behind-the-scenes executives and people fueling the future growth of their sports.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203966" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134232.906.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134232.906.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134232.906-300x169.png 300w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134232.906-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134232.906-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
Early in the third quarter of their seventh game of the season, the Atlanta Dream trailed the Seattle Storm by 17 points on the road. For much of the first half, the Dream played at a slow pace, using a stagnating offense. The ball stuck and players didn’t attack downhill the way first-year WNBA coach Karl Smesko had wanted.
Smesko called a timeout just over a minute after halftime. He reminded his players — a group that he had been coaching for less than six weeks — that the game was far from over. If they could attack the rim and get stops on defense, they would have a chance to be back in the contest.
Following the regroup, three-time All-Star Rhyne Howard attacked right, hitting a 10-foot floater and drawing a foul as well. On the ensuing Atlanta possession, Howard broke Storm center Ezi Magbegor down off the dribble, sinking another floater and drawing a foul. A 17-point deficit became 11. The Dream had life.
Atlanta went on to win by seven that night. Howard finished with 33 points, while her backcourt partner, Allisha Gray, added 28 points. That night in Seattle, Dream general manager Dan Padover reflected on what he had seen so far. “That was the first time I really started to think, ‘OK, we might have something here,’” he said.
Padover’s inclination proved true.
What the Dream turned out to have was a roster capable of amassing the most wins (30) in franchise history. Smesko won the most games for a first-year WNBA head coach, and Atlanta finished with a top four playoff seed for the first time since 2018. With a win on Tuesday night in Game 2 of their first-round series against the Indiana Fever, the Dream could move to the league semifinals for the first time in seven years. “Big thing for us is understanding that the job is not done in this series,” Smesko said after their series-opening 80-68 victory.
When Padover was hired in October 2021, after winning executive of the year twice in three seasons with the Las Vegas Aces, he said that Atlanta owner Larry Gottesdiener told him to treat the franchise as if it were an expansion team, insofar as the general manager had an ability to shape the roster however he saw fit. Padover saw the Dream’s rebuild as needing time. “Don’t skip steps,” he said. But unlike expansion teams, Atlanta lacked players. It had just three players under contract heading into the 2022 offseason.
<div class="ad-container">
<div class="ad-wrapper article-treatment">
<div class="ad-slug-container">
“We were just gonna have to do things differently,” Padover said.
Without lottery luck, that meant trades — 10 to be exact. Since 2022, the Dream acquired key draft picks (including the No. 1 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft, which was used to select Howard, and a second-round selection that same year used on likely 2025 Sixth Player of the Year Naz Hillmon) and players (including Gray and guard Jordin Canada) in deals with other teams.
There was no magic switch that flipped inside the Dream organization this season, just a gradual build that needed a steady steward.
Smesko came to Atlanta with the reputation as an offensive guru and a winner at Florida Gulf Coast. Entering the 2024 college season, he boasted the third-highest winning percentage among active coaches, behind UConn’s Geno Auriemma and LSU’s Kim Mulkey. But it’s his intentional methods that struck players right away. “Everything he says has a reason, has a purpose, and it all makes sense,” four-time All-Star center Brionna Jones said.
Smesko doesn’t put together practice plans, instead calling them “progress plans.” In training camp, he routinely stopped intra-squad scrimmages when he saw Atlanta players leaking out in transition without ensuring they saw a teammate grab a defensive rebound with two — not one, but two — eyes. (The focus has paid off, as the Dream are the No. 1 defensive rebounding team in the league.)
Atlanta is No. 2 in defensive rating, but its offensive evolution has been key, too. The Dream went from 12th in offensive rating in 2024 to second. But more than any overriding philosophy, Smesko said he has tried to keep things simple.
“I try to be careful not to overcomplicate things too much,” he said. “Let the best players in the world play, teach them how they can utilize their skills a little bit better to even become more efficient with their talents.”
For no player has that approach been more evident than Gray, who went from an All-Star-level player to the league’s best guard in 2025. She started in this year’s All-Star Game. “Just a clarifying moment of what a big-time player she’s become,” Padover said. She is likely to finish in the top four in MVP voting, averaging career-highs in points (18.4), rebounds (5.3) and assists (3.5) per game.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203967" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134506.017.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134506.017.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134506.017-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134506.017-768x432.png 768w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-2025-09-16T134506.017-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
Atlanta acquired Gray via a trade in January 2023 with the Dallas Wings. Padover said that at the time, Atlanta’s analytics model showed she was one of the most undervalued players in the WNBA. The Dream sent Dallas their No. 3 pick and a first-round pick in 2025 in return. “I was very bullish on what she could become here,” Padover said. “I knew that she had a much higher ceiling than she currently was playing at in Dallas.”
But it would have been hard to predict this exact leap.
Padover saw a player with not only All-Star potential, but one who might want to stay in Atlanta. Gray grew up two hours south of the city and attended South Carolina. With the Dream, Gray has felt the most comfortable. “I feel like I’ve had the ultimate green light,” she said earlier this season.
It helps that she does not have to star alone. Alongside Howard, who is now one of her closest friends, Gray can feed off another play-making wing. The duo has a plus-8.7 net rating this year, the highest mark in their three years playing together. Howard has also assisted Gray 36 times this season, tied for fourth most league-wide among guard pairs.
Part of Padover’s recognition that this year might be especially notable for the Dream stems from seeing his players want to be in Atlanta. That might sound like a simple concept, he said, but as a franchise that isn’t a traditional free-agent destination, buy-in is important.
“Our foundation is coming from Atlanta,” he said. “Continuity on teams is just as big of an advantage as talent.”
The Dream signed future Hall of Famer Brittney Griner and Jones this past offseason — both moves paying dividends. Such signings have been more anomalous than expected. It’s why Padover called it a “monumental moment for our franchise.”
Last winter, Padover recognized that the job ahead was not only to win, but to convince Griner and Jones — and frankly, the rest of the league — that Atlanta could be more than a plucky story.
“Our job is day in, day out to show these players why not only they should come here, but why they should stay here,” he said. “And I’ve always said the most important thing is to recruit your own players.”
But no pitch will be stronger than a deep playoff run.
Smesko was clear in their first training camp meeting that he felt the Dream could be the league’s most improved team — they were — and that they expected to be in the playoffs — they are. He told players they had the personnel to win a championship.
“We’re not the only team that’s capable of going on a run and winning this,” he said. “So somebody’s gonna play really well, (and) you’re gonna have to probably make your own breaks a couple (of) times. But we definitely have a team that’s capable of winning the whole thing.”
He’s been asked repeatedly to reflect on their lack of postseason experience as a group.
“If you can win that first series, suddenly you’ve got experience winning a playoff series, and then you build off it from there,” he said.
“Build” is the apt word. They take pride in constructing a contender. What remains to be seen is what exactly the ceiling is.
Program Builders is part of a partnership with Range Rover Sport. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/author/ben-pickman/" aria-label="Ben Pickman's Author Page">Ben Pickman</a> is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the WNBA and women’s college basketball. Previously, he was a writer at Sports Illustrated where he primarily covered women’s basketball and the NBA. He has also worked at CNN Sports and the Wisconsin Center for Journalism Ethics. Follow Ben on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/benpickman" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Follow Ben on Twitter">@benpickman</a>
</div>
</div>
</div>

atlanta-dream-playoff-chase

Atlanta Dream’s WNBA Playoff Chase was Part of a ‘Progress Plan’

Uncategorized

BOSTON and NEW YORK – September 16, 2025 – State Street Investment Management and the Women&#8217;s National Basketball Association (WNBA) today announced a multi-year partnership making State Street Investment Management and its SPY ETF the official investment management and exchange-traded fund (ETF) partner of the league.
“State Street Investment Management and the WNBA share a vision that when you believe and invest in your future, your dreams can become a reality,” said Yie-Hsin Hung, President and Chief Executive Officer of State Street Investment Management. “We’re thrilled to partner with the WNBA, one of the fastest-growing brands in all of sports, to help tens of millions of fans learn how investing in their future can advance their ambitions – just like the athletes they admire.”
As part of the partnership, State Street Investment Management and SPY will serve as the title sponsor of the WNBA Preseason and Coach of the Year Award, an annual honor that recognizes a coach who demonstrates exceptional leadership, player development and the ability to guide their team to success. State Street Investment Management and SPY will also be the presenting partner for “Year 1”, a rookie content series profiling a select group of exciting first-year players and will join other WNBA sponsors as an associate partner for the WNBA Draft presented by State Farm and the AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game.
“At the WNBA, we are proud to be partnering with State Street Investment Management, one of the largest asset managers in the world,” said WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert. “State Street Investment Management is an incredibly innovative leader in the investment management industry, and we have a shared mission to inspire and support our fans beyond the game. We look forward to working with State Street Investment Management as they help investors evaluate and reach their financial goals.”
State Street Investment Management’s sponsorship program aims to educate and inspire millions of WNBA fans to take action and invest – financially and in themselves – to advance their ambitions. Future initiatives by State Street Investment Management will include bringing the league’s excitement to the next generation of professional athletes by hosting youth clinics with WNBA ambassadors and refurbishing community basketball courts, providing greater access to the game.
In addition to the WNBA partnership, State Street Investment Management will feature Lisa Leslie, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, three-time WNBA MVP, and four-time Olympic gold medalist, in the firm’s “Getting There Starts Here” campaign created to inspire people to make a better financial future possible by investing in themselves. As one of the most decorated athletes in the history of women’s basketball, the campaign will focus on Leslie’s professional and personal journey, highlighting how investing has helped her pursue her passions – as a player, coach, commentator, real estate investor and developer, and community leader.
“Whether you’re a professional athlete, an aspiring entrepreneur, or a recent college graduate who just landed your first job, investing in the long-term potential of the financial markets is investing in your own potential,” said Leslie. “I’ve seen firsthand what’s possible through the power of investing, and I’m excited to be partnering with State Street Investment Management to inspire more people to take control of their future.”
About State Street Investment Management
At State Street Investment Management, we have been helping to deliver better outcomes to institutions, financial intermediaries, and investors for nearly half a century. Starting with our early innovations in indexing and ETFs, our rigorous approach continues to be driven by market-tested expertise and a relentless commitment to those we serve. With over $5 trillion in assets managed*, clients in over 60 countries, and a global network of strategic partners, we use our scale to create a comprehensive and cost-effective suite of investment solutions that help investors get wherever they want to go. State Street Investment Management is the asset management business of State Street Corporation (NYSE: STT).
*This figure is presented as of June 30, 2025 and includes ETF AUM of $1,689.83 billion USD of which approximately $116.05 billion USD in gold assets with respect to SPDR products for which State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC (SSGA FD) acts solely as the marketing agent. SSGA FD and State Street Investment Management are affiliated. Please note all AUM is unaudited.
About the WNBA
Currently in its 29th season, the WNBA celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it. The league was ranked by Morning Consult as the fastest-growing brand in 2024, and No. 4 on Fast Company’s list of the World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2025, on its way to setting records for engagement on social and digital platforms, attendance, merchandise sales and unique viewers across its broadcast partners. The WNBA’s commitment to societal impact is supported by the first-of-its-kind WNBA Changemaker Collective, a group of purpose-driven companies that have partnered with the WNBA to enhance the player experience, build the brand of the league and players, inspire innovation and connectivity, increase media coverage and visibility, and help drive the league’s business transformation. Ally, AT&amp;T, CarMax, Deloitte, Google, and Nike are part of the WNBA Changemaker Collective. The WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women in sport.*
*https://www.wnba.com/changemakers
Important Risk Information
State Street Global Advisors (SSGA) is now State Street Investment Management. Please click <a href="https://www.ssga.com/us/en/about-us/what-we-do">here</a> for more information.
Investing involves risk of including the risk of loss of principal.
The information provided does not constitute investment advice and it should not be relied on as such. It should not be considered a solicitation to buy or an offer to sell a security. It does not take into account any investor&#8217;s particular investment objectives, strategies, tax status or investment horizon. You should consult your tax and financial advisor.
The whole or any part of this work may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted or any of its contents disclosed to third parties without SSGA’s express written consent.
All information is from SSGA unless otherwise noted and has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but its accuracy is not guaranteed. There is no representation or warranty as to the current accuracy, reliability or completeness of, nor liability for, decisions based on such information and it should not be relied on as such.
The Fund&#8217;s investments are subject to changes in general economic conditions, general market fluctuations and the risks inherent in investment in securities markets. Investment markets can be volatile and prices of investments can change substantially due to various factors including, but not limited to, economic growth or recession, changes in interest rates, changes in the actual or perceived creditworthiness of issuers, and general market liquidity. The Fund is subject to the risk that geopolitical events will disrupt securities markets and adversely affect global economies and markets. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments.
ETFs trade like stocks, are subject to investment risk, fluctuate in market value and may trade at prices above or below the ETFs net asset value. Brokerage commissions and ETF expenses will reduce returns.
Equity securities may fluctuate in value and can decline significantly in response to the activities of individual companies and general market and economic conditions.
Passively managed funds invest by sampling the index, holding a range of securities that, in the aggregate, approximates the full Index in terms of key risk factors and other characteristics. This may cause the fund to experience tracking errors relative to performance of the index.
Intellectual Property Information: The S&amp;P 500® Index is a product of S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices LLC or its affiliates (“S&amp;P DJI”) and have been licensed for use by State Street Global Advisors. S&amp;P® , SPDR® , S&amp;P 500® ,US 500 and the 500 are trademarks of Standard &amp; Poor’s Financial Services LLC (“S&amp;P”); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (“Dow Jones”) and has been licensed for use by S&amp;P Dow Jones Indices; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by S&amp;P DJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by State Street Global Advisors. The fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&amp;P DJI, Dow Jones, S&amp;P, their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product(s) nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of these indices.
Distributor: ALPS Distributors, Inc., member FINRA, is distributor for SPDR® S&amp;P 500® , SPDR® S&amp;P MidCap 400® and SPDR® Dow Jones Industrial Average, all unit investment trusts. ALPS Distributors, Inc. is not affiliated with State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC. State Street Global Advisors Funds Distributors, LLC, member <a href="https://www.finra.org/">FINRA</a>, <a href="https://www.sipc.org/">SIPC</a>.
Before investing, consider the funds&#8217; investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. To obtain a prospectus or summary prospectus which contains this and other information, call 1-866-787-2257 or visit www.statestreet.com/im. Read it carefully.

state-street-wnba-partnership

State Street Investment Management and WNBA Announce Multi-Year Partnership

Awards

NEW YORK, Sept. 16, 2025 – Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers has been named the 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, the WNBA announced today. She is the first player to earn the honor with Dallas since Allisha Gray in 2017.
Bueckers received 70 votes from a national panel of 72 sportswriters and broadcasters. Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron received 2 votes.
A starter in all 36 of her appearances, Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals in 33.3 minutes and shot 47.4 percent from the field and 88.8 percent from the free throw line. She led all rookies in total points (692), points per game, total assists (194) and assists per game. Bueckers also ranked second among rookies in steals per game and free throw percentage and fourth in field goal percentage.
On top of breaking the Wings’ franchise rookie records, Bueckers finished third all-time in both total rookie points and total rookie assists. She also finished tied for second for the most double-digit scoring games by a rookie (35). Among all WNBA players, Bueckers ranked fifth in points per game, sixth in steals per game and ninth in assists per game.
On Aug. 20 against the Los Angeles Sparks, Bueckers set a WNBA single-game rookie record with 44 points, making 17-of-21 shots from the field (81 percent). She became the first player in WNBA history to score 40 or more points and shoot at least 80 percent from the field in a game.
Bueckers was voted as a starter for Team Collier for the 2025 AT&amp;T WNBA All-Star Game. She was also named the Kia WNBA Rookie of the Month three consecutive times (June, July and August).
Additional highlights of Bueckers’ 2025 season include:
<ul>
<li>Was the only player this season ranked in the top 10 in points, assists and steals per game.</li>
<li>Became the first rookie in WNBA history to average at least 15.0 points and 5.0 assists and shoot 45.0 percent or higher from the field in a season.</li>
<li>Scored at least 10 points in each of her first 30 games, the fourth-longest streak to begin a career in WNBA history.</li>
<li>Became the second rookie in WNBA history to record multiple games of at least 35 points, joining Wings teammate Arike Ogunbowale (2019).</li>
<li>Became the second rookie in WNBA history to finish with at least 500 points, 150 assists, 100 rebounds and 50 steals in a season, joining Caitlin Clark (2024).</li>
<li>Posted ten games with at least 20 points and five assists, the second most by a rookie in WNBA history (Clark had 18 last season).</li>
<li>Became the fastest rookie in WNBA history to reach 500 points and 100 assists.</li>
</ul>
Bueckers was selected by the Wings with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm after a decorated career at the University of Connecticut. A three-time AP All-America First Team selection, Bueckers led the Huskies to the Final Four in each of the four seasons she played and won the national championship in the 2024-25 season.
In honor of being named the 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year, Bueckers will receive $5,150 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.
Below are the voting results for the 2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Award and a list of past recipients.
2025 KIA WNBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR VOTING RESULTS
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Player</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Team</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Votes</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Paige Bueckers</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Dallas Wings</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">70</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Sonia Citron</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">Washington Mystics</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%">2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
KIA WNBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS
1998 – Tracy Reid, Charlotte
1999 – Chamique Holdsclaw, Washington
2000 – Betty Lennox, Minnesota
2001 – Jackie Stiles, Portland
2002 – Tamika Catchings, Indiana
2003 – Cheryl Ford, Detroit
2004 – Diana Taurasi, Phoenix
2005 – Temeka Johnson, Washington
2006 – Seimone Augustus, Minnesota
2007 – Armintie Price, Chicago
2008 – Candace Parker, Los Angeles
2009 – Angel McCoughtry, Atlanta
2010 – Tina Charles, Connecticut
2011 – Maya Moore, Minnesota
2012 – Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles
2013 – Elena Delle Donne, Chicago
2014 – Chiney Ogwumike, Connecticut
2015 – Jewell Loyd, Seattle
2016 – Breanna Stewart, Seattle
2017 – Allisha Gray, Dallas
2018 – A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas
2019 – Napheesa Collier, Minnesota
2020 – Crystal Dangerfield, Minnesota
2021 – Michaela Onyenwere, New York
2022 – Rhyne Howard, Atlanta
2023 – Aliyah Boston, Indiana
2024 – Caitlin Clark, Indiana
2025 – Paige Bueckers, Dallas
About Kia America
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World&#8217;s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024. Kia serves as the &#8220;Official Automotive Partner&#8221; of the WNBA and NBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*. 
For media information, including photography, visit <a href="http://www.kiamedia.com">www.kiamedia.com</a>. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert__;!!PMETyfE!LQ_AWgu_xS8m2ZdpIVOeFIM6CjzB7GXan16p-xQBBSMFDqSqBaxovepbT109Px9yCDy8QlykRUjGqeA$">www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert</a> 
* Select trims of the 2025 all-electric EV6 and EV9 all-electric three-row SUV, Sportage (excludes HEV and PHEV models), Sorento (excludes HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

bueckers-2025-roty

Dallas Wings’ Paige Bueckers Wins  2025 Kia WNBA Rookie of the Year Award

NEW YORK, Sept. 15, 2025 – Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton has been named the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player, the WNBA announced today.
Burton received 68 of 72 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Azurá Stevens finished in second place with 2 votes, and Allisha Gray and Natisha Hiedeman tied for third with 1 vote each.
In her fourth WNBA season, Burton averaged career highs of 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.1 steals in 44 games, up from 3.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.5 steals in 31 games with the Connecticut Sun in 2024. She became the first player in WNBA history to increase her averages by at least five points, two rebounds and two assists per game from one season to the next (minimum 30 games played in each season).
The only Valkyries player to start all 44 regular-season games, Burton ranked third in the WNBA in assists per game and ninth in free throw percentage (87.8). On Aug. 19 against the Phoenix Mercury, she became the first player in WNBA history to have at least 24 points, at least 14 assists and no turnovers in a game. It was one of her three games in 2025 with 10 or more assists and no turnovers, a WNBA single-season record.
Burton helped the Valkyries (23-21) set the WNBA record for victories by an expansion team in its inaugural season. She also led the Valkyries to be the first expansion team to reach the WNBA Playoffs presented by Google in its first season.
Burton was selected by the Dallas Wings with the seventh overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft presented by State Farm. After playing two seasons with Dallas and one season with Connecticut, she was selected by the Valkyries in the 2024 WNBA Expansion Draft presented by State Farm.
In honor of being named the Kia WNBA Most Improved Player, Burton will receive $5,150 and a trophy designed to commemorate her achievement.
Below are the voting results for the 2025 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player Award and a list of past recipients
2025 KIA WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER VOTING RESULTS
&nbsp;
<table style="border-collapse: collapse;width: 100%;height: 120px">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Player</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Team</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Votes</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Veronica Burton</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Golden State  </td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">68</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Azurá Stevens</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Los Angeles</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Allisha Gray</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Atlanta</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">1</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 24px">
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Natisha Hiedeman</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">Minnesota</td>
<td style="width: 33.3333%;height: 24px">1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
&nbsp;
KIA WNBA MOST IMPROVED PLAYER WINNERS
2000 – Tari Phillips, New York
2001 – Janeth Arcain, Houston
2002 – Coco Miller, Washington
2003 – Michelle Snow, Houston
2004 – Kelly Miller/Wendy Palmer, IND/CON
2005 – Nicole Powell, Sacramento
2006 – Erin Perperoglou, Sacramento
2007 – Janel McCarville, New York
2008 – Ebony Hoffman, Indiana
2009 – Crystal Langhorne, Washington
2010 – Leilani Mitchell, New York
2011 – Kia Vaughn, New York
2012 – Kristi Toliver, Los Angeles
2013 – Shavonte Zellous, Indiana
2014 – Skylar Diggins-Smith, Tulsa
2015 – Kelsey Bone, Connecticut
2016 – Elizabeth Williams, Atlanta
2017 – Jonquel Jones, Connecticut
2018 – Natasha Howard, Seattle
2019 – Leilani Mitchell, Phoenix
2020 – Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Atlanta
2021 – Brionna Jones, Connecticut
2022 – Jackie Young, Las Vegas
2023 – Satou Sabally, Dallas
2024 – DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut
2025 – Veronica Burton, Golden State
&nbsp;
About Kia America
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality surveys. Kia is recognized as one of the TIME World&#8217;s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024. Kia serves as the &#8220;Official Automotive Partner&#8221; of the WNBA and NBA and offers a range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles sold through a network of nearly 800 dealers in the U.S., including several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*.  
For media information, including photography, visit <a href="http://www.kiamedia.com">www.kiamedia.com</a>. To receive custom email notifications for press releases the moment they are published, subscribe at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert__;!!PMETyfE!LQ_AWgu_xS8m2ZdpIVOeFIM6CjzB7GXan16p-xQBBSMFDqSqBaxovepbT109Px9yCDy8QlykRUjGqeA$">www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert</a> 
 
* Select trims of the 2025 all-electric EV6 and EV9 all-electric three-row SUV, Sportage (excludes HEV and PHEV models), Sorento (excludes HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally sourced parts.

burton-2025-mip

Golden State Valkyries’ Veronica Burton Named 2025 Kia WNBA Most Improved Player

2025 Playoffs

<div>
		<h2>Gallery Block</h2>
	</div>

WNBA_Playoffs_2025_Google_white

playoffs-photo-gallery-9-14-2025

Photo Gallery: 2025 WNBA Playoffs, First Round (9/14/2025)

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-203888" src="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-97.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1125" srcset="https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-97.png 2000w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-97-1024x576.png 1024w, https://cdn.wnba.com/sites/4/2025/09/Thumbnail-97-1536x864.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px" />
Golden State Valkyries general manager Ohemaa Nyanin was asked back in December of 2024, right after the WNBA’s first expansion draft since 2008, what the first word that came to mind was when thinking about the team she had just assembled through the process.
“Competitve.”
After picking Kate Martin, Kayla Thornton, Temi Fagbenle, and others through the process, Nyanin was clearly confident that she, alongside new head coach Natalie Nakase, had just assembled a team of players willing to defend for all 40 minutes, and willing to represent the energy of Golden State as a basketball city.
She’d end up being very right about that. 
Golden State, the first expansion team to play since the Atlanta Dream did so 17 years ago, went from <a href="https://www.wnba.com/news/2025-wnba-power-rankings-tip-off-week-edition">being considered one of the worst teams on paper </a>headed into the 2025 season to the 8 seed, set to face off with the Minnesota Lynx in the First Round of the WNBA Playoffs. They’re <a href="https://valkyries.wnba.com/news/valkyries-preview-franchises-historic-playoff-debut-embrace-underdog-mentality-20250912">the first expansion team</a> to make the postseason in their inaugural season in WNBA history. 
It’s a huge accomplishment for a squad assembled out of a pool of players other teams didn’t deem crucial enough to protect from the expansion draft, and from the remaining players on the free agency market. 
Golden State managed this by focusing on two things throughout the year, as hammered home by Nakase at the helm: defense, and chemistry. The first year head coach told reporters after the expansion draft that those were the two things she was most looking for with this brand new roster, and something that she wanted to establish as a cornerstone of the Valkyries’ culture for the year. 
“I think, like I&#8217;ve kind of just been mentioning about the characteristics, when you have players that compete every night at a high level, and like I said, if you just watch these players, all 11 players, they compete. They compete like their life depends on it. I think I have a lot of confidence with that, because to me that means that they have a great work ethic. If they&#8217;re playing that hard, that means that they have at least had to have practiced that hard,” said Nakase of what she expected from the initial roster handed to her in that draft. 
Competing is what Golden State did in 2025. They managed to topple contending teams like the New York Liberty (twice), the Las Vegas Aces, the Seattle Storm (twice), and the Atlanta Dream, and they were a top-3 defensive team with a defensive rating of 99.8 &#8211; just behind the Dream and Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx, of course, are the only above .500 team they struggled to defeat in 2025, and that’s their First Round matchup.
On the year, they averaged 77.7 points per game, shooting just 40.7 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from three point range. Most of their points came in the paint, shooting 42.4 percent from that zone &#8211; good for third best in the league, and just behind the Indiana Fever and Aces. Scoring was, in short, not their strong suit. Stopping the other team from scoring was, though. Notably, they only allowed other teams to shoot 34.4 percent from the midrange against them this season, and 31.7 percent on above the break three pointers. 
Minnesota was the best above the break three point shooting team in the WNBA this year, shooting 36.9 percent on those attempts. From the midrange, they were even deadlier, shooting a second-best 40.7 from there thanks to contributions from Courtney Williams and Napheesa Collier.  Regardless of this matchup being lopsided on paper, there’s confidence oozing from a team like the Valkyries that cannot be ignored. A lot of that has to do with their chemistry and “togetherness,” something Nakase was seeking out this offseason when assembling this team with Omehaa. Their support for one another has rubbed off on their fanbase, with the Valkyries <a href="https://valkyries.wnba.com/news/valkyries-set-all-time-wnba-attendance-record-20250906">selling out every single home game they had in 2025</a>. It’s just another notch for the franchise that set out to simply win as many games as possible, and instead, broke multiple records along the way.
This postseason presents a very narrow and tough road ahead for the Valkyries. They’re still without All-Star forward Kayla Thornton for the year, Tiffany Hayes has been ruled out for Game 1 against Minnesota on the road, and they’re only now getting back a key player in Cecilia Zandalasini prior to the series. They also finished the year on a three game losing streak, with two of those losses coming against the Lynx. 
Underdog isn’t necessarily the term to describe Golden State in this series, but they’re going to need to make it a rock fight in order to get anything going against an All-Star cast featuring Collier, Kayla McBride, Alanna Smith, and others. 
Still, this is not a team to completely write off &#8211; they’ve shown that multiple times throughout their inaugural season. Minnesota has to hope they can firmly revoke Golden State’s confidence in Game 1. 
“Look, the ultimate goal here for the Golden State Valkyries and from my owner, straight from his mouth, is we would like to win a championship in five years. He said maybe even sooner. With that in mind, you have to have competitive players in order to win a championship,” said Nakase of that initial 11 player pool assembled through the draft.
2025 may not be the championship year for them, but the goal of one within the next five years, as laid out by Joe Lacob, doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore.

Best Photos From the Las Vegas Aces 2018 Season

Related News

Best Photos of Week 7

Best Photos from the Chicago Sky 2018 Season

Best Photos from the Dallas Wings 2018 Season

Best Photos from the LA Sparks 2018 Season