With the WNBA roughly one-third of the way through its first-ever 44-game regular season, the action is only starting to heat up. Star power will be on display tonight during a marquee two-game slate featuring each of the previous two champions.
Here are my favorite WNBA prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Breanna Stewart O21.5 Points (-110)
The New York Liberty as a whole have been struggling through a slump in recent days, having dropped three of their last four games, as they’ve struggled to adapt after losing All-Star center Jonquel Jones to an ankle injury. Stewart hasn’t been a part of that problem, though; over her last six games, she’s averaged 24.0 points, 6.8 boards, and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 51.1% from the field, scoring 22 or more points four times. Her elite finishing has continued; she’s shooting 75.8% within five feet of the basket, the second-best mark in the league among players who have attempted at least three such shots per game.
The Golden State Valkyries, meanwhile, have been a surprise package in their inaugural season, with a winning record so far and the fourth-best defensive rating in the league. In fact, they don’t have any real weaknesses as a defense, posting top-half marks in opponent rebounds and assists, too. Plus, while they can keep Stewart away from her preferred shot — they’ve allowed the fewest shots within five feet so far this season — they’ve allowed the third-most shots from five to nine feet, and Stewart is one of the league’s most efficient players from that range too.
Kayla Thornton 3+ Three-Pointers Made (+175)
One major reason for the Valkyries’ success has been Thornton, who’s been on quite the tear while several of her teammates are playing at EuroBasket. In its last six games, Golden State is 5-1, and the 32-year-old has averaged 19.3 points, 8.8 boards, and 1.2 steals per game, making three triples per contest at a 40.0% clip. Across that span, she’s ranked 10th in points and second in three-pointers made despite ranking just 26th in minutes played. Her usage rate might decrease once the rest of her teammates return from EuroBasket, but while Temi Fagbénlé is back with the team after Great Britain’s elimination, she’s not expected to play tonight.
There aren’t many weaknesses to the Liberty’s defense — they rank second in the league in defensive rating — but since they play at the league’s fastest pace, they allow opponents to put up reasonable counting stats regardless. New York has conceded 71.5 field goal attempts per game, 2.5 more than any other team, as well as the fourth-most three point attempts, and while the Liberty have the best two-point defense in the league, triples against them go in at a 32.6% clip, near the league average. Thornton has made three or more triples in three of her last six games, so it’s a decent bet that she’ll get there tonight.
A’ja Wilson 36+ Points + Rebounds + Assists (-120)
Even though the Connecticut Sun play slowly, they’ve still allowed the second-most points, most rebounds, and fifth-most assists, which, by NBA standards, is Washington Wizards or Utah Jazz bad. Only center Olivia Nelson-Ododa has been worth positive defensive win shares this season, and her front-court partner Tina Charles has been among the league’s worst defenders at 36 years old. Connecticut is 14.2 points per 100 possessions better on defense with Charles, who’s likely to draw the primary Wilson assignment, off the court, and Nelson-Ododa is too offensively limited for the Sun to give her more than 25 minutes per game. Enter Wilson, who’s heating up with 20-point performances in each of her last two contests and ranks second in the league in usage rate.
