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WNBA Season Predictions: Rookie of the Year, MVP and Coach of the Year
Updated: | First published:
Written by Dave Garofolo, Content Producer
Reviewed by Nick Slade
We use the Dimers WNBA futures to look for insight in season awards markets.
The 2026 WNBA season is upon us and with more teams and more games than ever before, WNBA betting will be one of the best ways to use the Dimers Pro data this summer.
We've published our data-backed look at who will win the WNBA Championship after correctly predicting 3 of last year's 4 finalists and picking the Aces to win it all at their midseason odds of +2000, but beyond our model's best value to win it all, there are other futures markets season-long awards that could hold a hidden edge.
Congrats to the Aces on their #WNBA championship run!
— Dimers (@DimersCom) October 11, 2025
And to everyone who tailed our HUGE value play. 🤑
We called this out back in June with comically long odds on A'ja and Co.
Don't sleep on the Dimers futures, folks. pic.twitter.com/NVzc7OISog
WNBA Futures to make before the season
Let's look at a few markets for some data-backed futures plays to make before the season tips off on Friday, May 8, but first, to be ready for the season, you can get a 3-day free trial of Dimers Pro both here and in the brand-new Dimers App.
Claim before the season begins to try out Dimers Pro features like daily WNBA best bets, player props, projections and Pro exclusive articles like this one, or wait until Friday to have unlimited access for the first 72 hours of the WNBA season.
WNBA MVP
The market for WNBA MVP is led by two near co-favorites - 4x winner and reigning MVP A'Ja Wilson at +200, and the league's heir apparent to the award, Caitlin Clark at +260.
Both have a strong case without playing a game yet this year. Clark won the league's Rookie of the Year award before an injury-derailed campaign last season, and Wilson has as many accolades as one could have at this point in her 8-year career. Both the Fever and the Aces project as top-three contenders by the Dimers model, and thus should have these stars right in the conversation all year.
But, the team that's favored to win it all at a 20.9% probability might be overlooked in this market. Breanna Stewart (+1000) and Sabrina Ionescu (+1500) will lead one of the league's top teams in the New York Liberty this year. Stewie is a 2x league MVP and Sabrina Ionescu could be the next star to take the next step in New York. It's worth noting that Ionescu has never finished higher than 6th in MVP voting, and only one player 30 or older has won MVP in the last 15 years, and Stewart is now 31.
For a longshot that lines up with some deeper Dimers value, consider Allisha Gray or Rhyne Howard (both (+2500) on the Dream. The Dream are our model's fourth-most likely champion, and Gray finished 4th in MVP voting last year. If she takes the next step and some other things break her way, she could very well be in the race.
WNBA Rookie of the Year
For the past four years, the No. 1 overall pick has won rookie of the year honors and it could very well end up that way again as top overall pick for the Wings, Azzi Fudd, is at the second-shortest odds of +300 to win the award, just behind Olivia Miles of the Lynx at +260.
The Wings are an edge to win the WNBA title this year at their best odds, a longshot play at around 3%, but that signals some upside for the team looking to build on last year's dead-last record. Fudd playing alongside UConn teammate and reigning ROTY Paige Bueckers should help her slide right into a comfortable role.
Miles has a strong case as well, with Lynx star Napheesa Collier out for an undetermined amount of time, she'll have a chance to contribute significantly right away on a team more equipped to win, and should only gain a boost when Collier returns. At 9.5%, the Lynx round out our Top 5 championship contenders and if they look like a contender behind their rookie, she'll be tough to beat in the race.
WNBA Coach of the Year
Last year, Natalie Nakase won the league's Coach of the Year award for leading the expansion Golden State Valkyries to the postseason. Can history repeat itself?
Two teams debut in the league this season, the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire. The Fire are tied for the lowest championship probability and are the most likely team to miss the playoffs at -5000 to do so.
The Tempo, however, are a little higher at 2.1% to win it all, just outside the Top 8 teams, which would be the cutoff for making the postseason. They're also just +410 to make the postseason, shorter than established teams the Seattle Storm and Connecticut Sun.
If Sandy Brondello (+900) can guide the Tempo to the postseason, she'll be a top candidate for the award and at more than double the odds for her team to reach the playoffs. Brondello just led the Liberty to a title in 2024, her second as a head coach. With championship-level expectations for the three coaches above her, she has the lowest bar to clear to make her case as well.
More on WNBA
- WNBA Predictions: Our data-backed previews for every game, every day
- WNBA Best Bets: Top picks for every individual matchup
- Best WNBA Props: Player prop edges from our predictive analytics model
- WNBA Projections Hub: Boxscore projections for every player in every game
- WNBA Futures Odds: Who will win the 2026 WNBA Finals?
Stay informed with the latest WNBA betting news from Dimers throughout the season.
Responsible Gambling
Remember to please gamble responsibly. If you sense that you’re taking your luck too far, know when to call it quits and don’t be afraid to seek assistance. Keep in mind that gambling is all about having a fantastic experience! If you or someone you know is grappling with gambling issues, reach out to 1-800-GAMBLER for crisis counseling and support.
To give you the most accurate and helpful information, this article has been reviewed and edited by Nick Slade through our fact-checking process.
Dave Garofolo uses sophisticated AI-driven analytics to make predictions and evaluate player performances in the NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL, NCAAM, and PGA TOUR tournaments, crafting insightful game and prop previews.
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