All eyes are on Caitlin Clark as the divisive MVP conversation reaches a fever point

As the WNBA season rages on, two of the projected frontrunners for MVP continue to divide fans and the media.

Even though the MVP is nowhere near decided, everyone seems to believe it's down to A'ja Wilson and Caitlin Clark. Both players have been excellent for their team this season, but it brings up the age-old question: how do we determine the Most Valuable Player? Is it the player who leads the league in stats? Is it a player who impacts the game on both ends of the court? Is it a team's win-loss record? Everyone has a different answer, but there is no question that Caitlin Clark should be in the conversation.

Clark continues to receive support in the heated MVP debate

With Clark in the mix, there will always be a heated discussion. Love her or hate her, Clark brings a lot of attention, and with that attention she brings comes a lot of scrutiny. Some will say she doesn't deserve it and the media is just pushing a narrative, while others will claim she should easily win it because of the impact she has on her team. It has become a very divisive conversation, and longtime ESPN personality Linda Cohn provided her thoughts on the debate.

Cohn said if she had a vote, it would go to Clark because of the way she impacts the game at all times. She creates 40.5 points per game with her scoring and assists, has been named the Player of the Week for four straight weeks, and the offense goes through her every game. She also made a spot-on analysis when she mentioned that Wilson is a phenomenal player who leads the league in points and blocks while also ranking in the top five in rebounding, but the award shouldn't go to the player who puts up the most stats; it should go to the most VALUABLE.

Putting up massive stats is all well and good, but there are other awards for that, and they shouldn't be used to fully determine the impact you have on your team. Stats are only one barometer of how you impact a game, and while the MVP is extremely subjective, it boils down to what you believe makes someone the most valuable to their team. We could all be suffering from Wilson MVP fatigue because she's consistently great, but if you removed Clark from the Fever, there is no chance they would be close to where they are right now.

That is by no means disrespecting Kelsey Mitchell or Aliyah Boston, but before Clark was drafted in 2023, the Fever had back-to-back No. 1 overall picks because of how bad they were. In 2023, the Fever were 13-27, with Mitchell leading the way with 18.2 points and 3.1 assists per game, while Boston averaged 14.5 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. With Clark running the show on offense, Mitchell can do what she does best and score the basketball, and Boston can get easy looks at the basket off Clark's passes.

Clark's all-around offensive impact is what could win her the 2026 MVP award

Mitchell's scoring has increased every year since Clark joined, and it is no coincidence that since putting her at the off-guard spot, her numbers have drastically increased. We've all heard the ridiculous argument that Clark isn't even the best player on her team because of Mitchell's scoring, but if you take Clark's passing away, Mitchell's scoring would go down.

Wilson is a dominant player who scores and rebounds at a high rate, but there are awards for both of those stats. In the NBA, for example, Kevin Durant won four scoring titles (2010-2012, 2014), but only one MVP (2014), showing that leading the league in scoring doesn't guarantee an MVP. If Wilson wins another MVP, it wouldn't be a surprise, but Clark arguably makes a bigger all-around impact on her team. Wilson is clearly the better defensive player, but Clark creates more offense for her team, so it boils down to which categories voters value most.

Both players are having exceptional years, and it won't be a surprise if either wins the award, but for MOST VALUABLE, you have to give it to Clark.

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