A year ago, half of WNBA general managers said they would build a franchise around Caitlin Clark. This year, only 20% said the same.
The shift is the sharpest storyline in the league's 2026 GM survey, released Tuesday ahead of opening night Friday. Fifteen general managers answered 42 questions about the best teams, players, coaches, and offseason moves. They were barred from voting for their own personnel. Paige Bueckers, Dallas Wings guard and reigning Rookie of the Year, topped the franchise cornerstone question with 33% of the vote. Clark and A'ja Wilson tied for second at 20%.
Bueckers' ascent is rooted in what she did last season. She averaged 19.2 points, 5.4 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, shot 47.7% from the floor and 88.8% from the free-throw line, and tied the single-game rookie scoring record with 44 points. CBS Sports noted she is already regarded as one of the best players in the league.
Clark's drop reflects a season that never got going. A string of lower-body injuries limited her to 13 games, costing her visibility at a critical point in her career. She received votes in five survey categories but led none of them. In the best point guard category, she drew 20% of the vote, down from 50% a year ago. Chelsea Gray of Las Vegas topped that category with 73%.
None of Clark's injuries were described as serious, and she enters her third season healthy. Whether that restores her standing with league executives will likely depend on what she produces in 2026.
While the Clark-Bueckers comparison grabbed attention, the survey's dominant force was Las Vegas. The Aces topped 17 of the 42 questions and were selected as the team most likely to win the 2026 WNBA Finals, edging New York and Atlanta. Wilson alone topped eight categories, including best defensive player, best interior defender, best leader, and player most likely to force opposing coaches to make adjustments. She was also named both best forward and best center, and she shared the "game on the line" vote with teammate Chelsea Gray.
Wilson has won the projected MVP nod four consecutive times in the survey, a record. Breanna Stewart finished second in that category this year, with Clark and Allisha Gray also receiving votes.
The Atlanta Dream drew notable attention in the survey as well. On opening day of free agency, Chicago traded All-Star forward Angel Reese to Atlanta in exchange for first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. Reese joins Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, and Brionna Jones on a team that won a franchise-record 30 games last season before losing in the first round of the playoffs. CBS Sports noted the return was considered surprisingly modest for a player of Reese's caliber, given how her 2025 season ended. She missed the final four games after receiving a team suspension tied to a controversial interview, a league suspension for technical fouls, and a back injury.
The 2026 WNBA season tips off Friday, the league's 30th year.
