ESPN drops Caitlin Clark in preseason top 50 WNBA player rankings

As the WNBA's 30th regular season officially tips off on May 7, ESPN released its top 50 player rankings for the 2026 campaign. Caitlin Clark slid in the rankings from No. 4 in the preseason last year to No.

10 in the preseason top 50 player rankings this year. Though her 2025 campaign was injury-riddled and likley impacted her placement, it's still a bit of a puzzling spot considering her superstar pedigree and global reputation. This ranking places Clark behind A'ja Wilson, Alyssa Thomas, Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart, Jackie Young, Sabrina Ionescu, Allisha Gray, Paige Bueckers, and Kelsey Plum.

Who are the top 50 WNBA players heading into the 2026 season 👀 Full rankings ➡️ https://t. co/dYE9pmFuxZ pic. twitter.

com/nIFfA1B5mM — espnW (@espnW) April 30, 2026 Here is what Kareem Copeland had to say about Clark's placement on the list and how ESPN views the Iowa women's basketball legend entering this season: Clark received the fourth-most MVP votes as a rookie while setting a single-season league record for assists and posting 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, and was just getting started when she was named Rookie of the Year and first-team all-WNBA in 2024. Injuries limited her to only 13 games in 2025, but she was still named an All-Star.