Cut-throat competition, a magnificent display of strength, and a stunning show of female sportsmanship are the most apparent characteristics of the WNBA. Created in 1996, the WNBA is an American professional league. As of 2023, a total of twelve teams play under the WNBA.
Despite the discrimination faced by women’s sports in general, the WNBA is one of the most-watched leagues across the globe. While it is not the only woman’s league in the United States, it is perhaps the most popular and watched one, receiving full backing from the NBA. They were named the most progressive of all leagues by the New York Times.
It would not be a lie to say that Women’s sports can often face the prejudice of not being as entertaining or even competitive as men’s sports. The existence of the WNBA has proven that female sports can garner just as much viewership as men’s sports can have just as devoted of a fan following. Any match in the league stands testament to the fact that these are not only amazing at their sport but also use their platforms to make a difference.
While actresses, musicians, and other celebrities are well-recognized for their beauty, the glamour of sportswomen can often go unnoticed. While their fierce selves are a sight on the court, their beauty is second to none. These female athletes stun the audiences when they play and look like an absolute daydream while doing so.
They are some incredible women who always manage to amaze their fans with their beauty and talent. Not only are they award-winning sportswomen, but they are also mothers, analysts, coaches, and so much more. Here are the most beautiful WNBA players of 2023, in no particular order.
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1) Lexie Brown
Born in 1994 in Boston, Alexis Kiah Brown is a player now signed with the Los Angeles Sparks. She has previously played with the Connecticut Sun, Minnesota Lynx, and Chicago Sky. Brown was the 2021 WNBA Champion and ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. Basketball truly runs in her blood. Her father, Dee Brown, played twelve years of the NBA as a point guard for the Boston Celtics. This 28-year-old has had several highlights throughout her career where she has proven her worth, and there are many more to come.
2) Chiney Ogwumike
Playing the power forward and the center position, Qgwumike is one of the highest-achieving players in the WNBA. In 2020, she became the first black woman and the first WNBA player to host a national radio show and was the first and the youngest commentator to be named an NBA analyst.
She was also elected the vice president of the WNBA player association in 2016. She also had an endorsement contract with Adidas. She was drafted first overall in 2014 by the Connecticut Sun and remained with them until 2019. As of 2021, she was re-signed to Los Angeles Sparks.
3) Didi Richards
This 24-year-old from Houston, Texas, held the reputation for being one of the nation’s top defenders. Her youngness should not be mistaken for her inexperience, and she has several awards under her belt. She was the NCAA champion in 2019, Naismith Defensive Player of The Year in 2020, and the WBCA Defensive Player of The Year. She was selected by the New York Liberty due to her high player statistics in college football. Richards became a fan favorite during her two seasons in Brooklyn.
4) Natalie Achonawa
This Canadian professional basketballer has an extensive experience in the game. She was drafted in 2014, and since then, her success has been unparalleled. While she began her career with Indian Fever, she is currently signed with Minnesota Lynx. Born in Toronto, Ontario, she also boasts a successful international career. She has played internationally for Dike Napoli, Bucheon KEB Hana Back and has also played in the Chinese League. She was also invited to play for Canada at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
5) Alanna Smith
This power forward for the Chicago Sky is one of the most beautiful WNBA players of 2023. She was selected by the Phoenix Mercury and went on to play for teams including Adelaide Lightning, Indiana Fever, and Incheon S-Birds. She was also a player for the Australian Women’s Basketball team at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. She has proven her worth throughout her career.
Smith was NBL1 North Champion in 2022 and NBL1 North Finals MVP in 2020. Born in Hobart, Tasmania, Smith has also represented Australia in the FIBA World Cup 2018, held in Spain, and in FIBA World Cup 2017, held in India.
6) Abby Bishop
This legendary Australian forward was the WNBA Champion in 2010 and the WNBL Most Valuable Player in 2015. She has twice won the WNBL All-Star Five and thrice won the WNBL Champion Canberra Capitals. She started her WNBA career in 2010 with the Seattle Storm.
After spending five years playing for the WNBL, she returned to the Storm in 2015. She was also featured in the WNBL league calendrer in 2019. Born in South Australia, she started her career in 2005 and is still going strong as ever. She also represented Australia at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
7) Marina Mabrey
This WNBA shooting guard has a long list of awards and titles under her belt. She was drafted in 2019 with the Los Angeles Sparks, went on to play for the Dallas Wings, and at present, in 2023, plays for the Chicago Sky. She also played with the US women’s national under-19 team. She was also the NCAA Champion in 2018.
She comes from a family of basketballers. Both her older brother and sister have successful basketball careers. Her mother also coached basketball in their area. Mabrey has played for the EuroLeague Women and Lega Basket Feminine, renowned international leagues. She is also a dedicated feminist. Mabrey started her shirt in 2019 called ‘This Is My Kitchen,’ referring to the sexism seen in sports.
8) Sydney Carter
Born in 1990, Carters was drafted in 2012. She was the Assistant Coach (2021-22) and is now at the University of Texas in the capacity of the Director of Player Development for Women’s Basketball. She was selected by the Chicago Sky and went on to play with the Connecticut Sun, Indian Fever, and Atlanta Dream during her NBA career.
She has also had a large international career. She began playing for Latvia in 2014 and was a three-time Latvian/Estonian Champion. She began her coaching career in 2020, and by 2022 she was already promoted.
9) Tiffany Mitchell
Mitchell was selected 9th overall in the 2016 WNBA draft by Indiana Fever. This fierce shooting guard has won several awards and titles. She won the Dawn Stately Award in 2015, has twice won the SEC Player of the Year, and has also won the WNBL Championship.
During the off-season, she has also played internationally in Israel and Russia. Turkey and Australia. In 2023 she was signed by the Minnesota Lynx. In her debut, she scored a game-high 18 points for the Indiana Fever. Mitchell scored 16 points in a decisive game against Perth when she played for Melbourne Boomers.
10) Chelsea Dungee
Chelsea Dungee started her WNBA career fairly recently in 2021, associated with Dallas at the moment she started her career in college football in 2016. She was drafted in 2021 and was the fifth overall pick. She is also the assistant coach for Troy Trojans’ women’s basketball team.
In 2021 she signed a one-year contract with Galatasaray, a major sports club in Turkey. Dungee represented the United States in FIBA Americans Under 16 Championship. She was titled the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2014. She remains the assistant coach for the Troy Trojans with an extremely promising career ahead of her.
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11) Liz Cambage
Elizabeth Folake Cambage, or Liz Camabge, is an Australian Basketball player who started her professional career in 2007 with Dandenong Rangers. Born in London, she is associated with the Maccabi Bnot Ashdod of the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League. She was drafted in the WNBA in 2011 by Tulsa Shock and was the second overall pick.
She was the WNBA Peak Performer in 2018, was twice the WNBL Champion, and was the WNBA scoring leader in 2018. In 2012, she represented Australia in Olympic Games, FIBA World Cup 2018, as well as in the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She is currently signed with the Los Angeles Sparks.
12) Sataou Sabally
This German-American professional was one of the youngest people to be drafted for the WNBA. Even though she had one remaining season of college eligibility, she entered the 2020 NBA draft because she reached the 22 minimum age for draft eligibility.
She was drafted in 2020 and was the 2nd overall pick. She has also had an impressive international career and has thrice been the Turkish Super League Champion. She was also the EuroLeague Champion in 2023. She became the only rookie to serve a leadership role on the WNBA Social Justice Council and is also a UNICEF partner.
14) Te’a Cooper
Te’a Omari Cooper, aged 26, is a free agent in the WNBA. She was drafted in 2020 by the Phoenix Mercury. Cooper, after the pandemic trade-offs, was picked by the Los Angeles Sparks as the point guard.
She had one of her best games when the Sparks played against the Washington Mystics, where she made 10 points with three assists. Even though her WNBA career has been short, it has been incredibly impressive. She continues to learn from the more experienced players of the Sparks and proves that she is worth her salt.
15) Arella Guirantes
It is impossible not to include Guirantes in the list when discussing the most beautiful WNBA players. This Puerto Rican professional was drafted in 2021 by the Los Angeles Sparks. She began her WNBA career in 2021 and has had a stunning international career.
She had an impressive performance at the Centrobasket Tournament in 2022, where she represented Puerto Rico. She has been associated with Budivelnyk, Ukraine, and Diosgyori, Hungary. In 2023 she was signed by the Seattle Storm. She scored an amazing 2000 points during her high school basketball career.
16) Elena Delle Donne
This thirty-three-year-old basketballer started her WNBA career in 2013. She has won the WNBA Most Valuable Player Award twice. Donne was also selected to six All-Star Teams. Not only this, she was the first WNBA player to join the 50-40-90 club. First drafted by the Chicago Sky, she remained with them until 2017.
She then joined the Washington Mystics and is still associated with them. 2015 WNBA Peak Performer, twice WNBA MVP, 2019 WNBA Champion, 2015 WNBA Scoring Champion – these are only a handful of her career milestones and achievements.
17) Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker has been nicknamed the “Ace” as an ode to her impressive basketball player. She was first drafted to the WNBA in 2008 and was the 1st pick overall. She was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks and spent over thirteen seasons with them.
She also spent two seasons with the Chicago Skies and has won a championship with each team. She has twice been the WNBA Champion, 2013 WNBA All-Star Game MVP, 2008 Rookie of The Year, thrice WNBA peak performer, NCAA Champion, five times Russian National League Champion, and a whole lot more. At present, she presents for the Las Vegas Aces.
18) Kaila Charles
Drafted in 2020, Charles was the 23rd overall pick and was selected by the Connecticut Sun. She comes from a family of athletes and is the daughter of Ruperta Charles, who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in the 100-meter dash for Antigua and Barbuda. Starting her WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun, she shifted to Atlanta Dream in 2022. In 2023 she became a member of Seattle Storm. She also played college football and was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team during this time.
19) Charli Collier
Aged 23, Charli Collier comes from Mont Belvieu, Texas. She was drafted in 2021 to the WNBA and was the first overall pick. Selected by the Dallas Wings, her career has been extremely impressive. She earned a bronze medal when she represented the US in the 2016 FIBA Under 17 World Championship.
She was projected to be the No.1 pick in the 2021 WNBA Draft by ESPN. She began her career in Highschool basketball and is still associated with the Dallas Wings. Following her playing career, she has shown interest in pursuing a broadcasting career. She is also now associated with the Israeli Female Basketball Premier League.
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20) Stefanie Dolson
Drafted in 2014 to the WNBA, Dolson was the sixth overall pick that year. First selected by the Washington Mystics, she has had a large experience in the WNBA. She shifted to the New York Liberty in 2022. During her WNBA career, she also played for the Chicago Sky from 2017 to 2021.
She was the 2021 WNBA Champion, 2014 WBCA Defensive Player of The Year, 2022 EuroLeague Champion, twice NCAA Champion, 2014 AAC Defensive Player of The Year, and has twice been on the All-Stars. In 2016 Dolson publicly came out as a member of the LGBTQ Community and helped thousands feel seen.
21) Nneka Ogwumike
Nnemkadi Chinwe Victoria “Nenaka’ Ogwumike was drafted into the WNBA in the year 2012 and was the first overall pick that year. She was selected by the Los Angeles Spark and has remained with them, resigning the contract with the Sparks in 2023.
She was named the Rookie of The Month four out of five times during her rookie season. She was the WNBA Rookie of The Year in 2012, The Polish National League Champion in 2013, the 2016 WNBA MVP, and The EuroLeauge Champion in 2017. She has also thrice won the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.
22) Megan Gustafson
Born in Port Wing, Wisconsin, Gustafson began her WNBA career in 2019. She was selected by the Dallas Wings and remained with them until 2020. In 2021 she shifted to Washington Mystics and the Phoenix Mercury in 2022. A power forward and center in the WNBA, she started her career playing high school football. She was the Naismith Player Of The Year in 2019, AP Player of The Year (2019), and the ESPNW National Player of The Year in 2019. Gustafson was twice the Big Ten Player Of The Year.
23) Maria Vadeeva
Playing center position Maria Aleskseyevna Vadeeva is a Russian player who also played in the Russian Premier League. She was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2018 and was the 11th overall pick that year. Her career began in 2014 in Europe, playing for the Russian League and the EuroCup.
She was the EuroLeague Champion in 2017 and the FIBA U19 World Cup MVP in 2017. Vadeeva was the first player born after the WNBA was founded. In the EuroBasket Women 2015 tournament, she made her international debut at just the age of 16. Here, she averaged 12.3 points per game.
24) Sophie Cunningham
This shooting guard began her career in 2019, selected by the Phoenix Mercury. She started her career playing High School basketball, made a name for herself in college football, and was then drafted for the WNBA. She was the highest selection for a former Tiger. Before this, she played four seasons of college football at the University of Missouri, representing the Missouri Tigers. Aged 26, she has one of the most promising careers in the WNBA ahead of her.
25) Skylar Diggins-Smith
Drafted in 2013, Smith was the third overall pick that year. Originally selected by the Tulsa Shock. During a WNBA career, she played for the Dallas Wings and has been signed with the Phoenix Mercury since 2020. With several accolades under her belt, her WNBA statistics have been just as stunning as hers.
She was the WNBA Most Improved Player in 2014 and the Rookie of The Year in 2013. Two times winner of the Nancy Lieberman Award and the Big East Player of the Year, she is an advocate against childhood obesity. Diggins-Smith hosts ‘Shoot 4 The Sky’ camps across the world during the off seasons and signed an endorsement deal with Nike in 2013.
26) Cheyenne Parker
A power forward in the WNBA, Parker started her career playing High School Basketball. She was drafted in the WNBA in 2015 and was the fifth-highest pick that year, selected by the Chicago Sky. Born and raised in Queens, she has played internationally in China for Henan Phoenix, in South Korea for Bucheon KEB Hana, and in Poland for Wisla Can-Pack. She signed with the Atlanta Dream in 2021 and is currently associated with them. In 2020-21 she also signed a deal with the Basket Lattes of the French League.
27) Tayler Hill
Hill’s WNBA career began in 2013 when she was drafted by the Washington Mystics. She was the 4th overall player that year and held the position of the shooting guard. In 2020 Hill was traded to the New York Liberty as a part of a three-team deal. She has also had an international career, playing in the Israeli league in 2013 for the Ramat Hasharon and with Bnot Hertzeliya in 2016. She was twice the Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year and AP Minnesota Player of the Year.
28) Lauren Cox
Lauren Elizabeth Cox is a power forward who was drafted to the WNBA in the year 2020. She was the third overall pick that year and was selected by the Indiana Fever. Cox was ranked by ESPN as the second-best collegiate women’s basketball player in the country, second to Sabrina Ionescu. She was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of seven and used an insulin pump during games.
Despite her condition, she is one of the best and most beautiful WNBA players. In 2019 she was the NCAA Champion, the Big 12 Player of The Year in 2020, and received the Pat Summit Most Courageous Award that same year. She also played in the FIBA Americas U-16 Championship and FIBA U-17 World Cup. In 2021 she shifted from the Indiana Fever to the Los Angeles Sparks, and in 2023 the Connecticut Sun announced that they had signed Cox.
29) Katie Lou Samuelson
Samuelson started her WNBA career in 2019, playing for the Chicago Sky. She was the fourth overall pick the year of her drafting. In 2020 she shifted to the Dallas Wings, was signed by the Seattle Storm the following year, and, starting in 2022, is associated with Los Angeles Sparks.
Other than the WNBA, she has had an extensive international career too. In 2013 she played for the FIBA Americas U16 Championship for Women, played for the FIBA U17 World Championship For Women in 2014, and the Youth Olympic Games the same year. She was the AAC Tournament MOP in 2017, AAC Player of The Year in 2017, and 2018 and Commissioner’s Cup Champion in 2021.
30) Dearica Marie Hamby
Starting her WNBA Career in 2015, Dearica Marie Hamby was drafted by the San Antonio Stars. She was the sixth overall pick the year she was drafted. She was signed with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2023. Among the most beautiful WNBA players of 2023, she has had one of the most impressive careers in the league. She was the WNBA Champion in 2022, twice the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year, Commissioner’s Champion in 2022, and twice on the WNBA All-Star.
31) Karlie Lou Samuelson
This small forward was drafted in 2019 by the Chicago Sky. Karlie Lou Samuelson was the Commissioner’s Cup Champion 2020, Liga Femenina Endesa Finals MVP 2021, NCAA Champion 2016, and AAC Tournament MOP 2017. She was twice the AAC Player of The Year.
After initially being drafted by the Chicago Sky, she shifted to the Dallas Wings in 2020 and the Seattle Storm in 2021. As of 2023, she has been signed with the Los Angeles Sparks. However, she will not be playing in the 2023 season due to her pregnancy. She comes from a family of athletes, and her mother was a netball player, and two older sisters who both played for Stanford.
32) Olivia Nelson Ododa
She was rated a five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2018 class by ESPN during her High School Football career. Before being drafted to the WNBA, she played college-level basketball at UConn. She was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2022 and was then signed by the Connecticut Sun in 2023.
She won the bronze medal for the US at the 2016 FIBA Under 17 World Championship in Spain and won a gold medal at the 2019 Pan American Games in Peru. Nelson Ododa was the youngest player representing the US at the FIBA AmeriCup in 2019; she won a gold in the same.
33) Amanda Zahui. B
This Swedish basketball player started her career playing college football and has had an extensive international career. She was drafted to the WNBA in 2015 by the Tulsa Shock. 2016 to 2020, she was signed with the New York Liberty, then with the Los Angeles Sparks from 2021 to 2022.
She was exchanged to the Washington Mystics in 2023. She became the highest-scoring player in 2016 when she was transferred to the Russian Nadezhda Orenburg. Zhui B was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2014, Big Ten Player of the Year in 2015, and the Turkish Super League Champion in 2022.
34) Monique Billings
Monique Charice Billings began her WNBA career in 2018. She was first selected by the Atlanta Dream and is associated with them at present. Billings has also played for the Asan Worri Bank Wibee in the Korean Basketball League. She played college football at UCLA and led the team to the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Tournament.
This 27-year-old, born in Riverside, plays as a power forward. She published her own self-help book titled ‘Finding Balance.’ It is a wellness book in which Billings writes about balancing various aspects of her life, including- faith, family, dreams, and her career.
35) Brittney Griner
A center position player, Griner was first drafted to the WNBA in 2013 and was the 1st overall pick. Not only is she considered one of the most beautiful WNBA players of 2023, the list of her awards and titles is never-ending. She began her WNBA career with Phoenix Mercury and is still associated with them.
Griner was twice the WNBA scoring champion, WNBA Peak performer, and WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. She was the WNBA Rookie Player of The Year of her drafting, the 2017 Russian Cup Winner, the 2012 NCAA Champion, and so much more. In 2023, she was also named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
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