The 2025 WNBA season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable and thrilling in recent memory—and the latest rankings are proof.

Released earlier this week by leading sports analysts and backed by advanced metrics from across the league, the new top-10 list has sent shockwaves through the basketball world. While perennial powers like the Las Vegas Aces and Minnesota Lynx still hold down high spots, it’s the surging teams and breakout stars that are turning heads.

At the center of it all? None other than Caitlin Clark, whose historic sophomore campaign has not only solidified her status as the league’s brightest young star—but also left former rival Angel Reese trailing in the standings, both literally and figuratively. As the dust settles on another offseason of roster moves and realignments, the WNBA landscape looks drastically different—and far more exciting.

At the very top of the rankings sits the Indiana Fever, and frankly, no one saw this coming—at least not this soon. After drafting Clark first overall in 2023 and pairing her with Kelsey Mitchell last season, Indiana has transformed from a rebuilding project into a legitimate championship contender almost overnight. This year’s model? Even scarier.

With the return of both guards fully healthy, plus the addition of sharpshooting forward NaLyssa Smith via trade, the Fever boast one of the most dynamic offenses in the league—and a suddenly stout defense anchored by versatile wing Rhyne Howard. Entering the season with championship-or-bust expectations, the Fever are no longer a dark horse—they’re the team to beat.

Right behind them, in a bit of a surprise, is the Chicago Sky. Led by reigning MVP Diamond Miller, the Sky have quietly assembled a roster that balances elite perimeter shooting with lockdown perimeter defense.

Sylvia Fowles’ successor, 6’6″ center Aaliyah Boston, has taken the league by storm in preseason action, averaging a double-double and changing the way opposing offenses approach the paint.

If Miller stays healthy—and there’s every reason to believe she will—the Sky could give Indiana everything it takes to reclaim the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

But the biggest story of all isn’t which team climbed the rankings—it’s who fell. Or more accurately, who got left behind. Angel Reese, the 2023 ACC Player of the Year and projected top WNBA pick, entered the league with enormous hype and sky-high expectations. Playing for the Washington Mystics, Reese was supposed to be the face of a franchise on the rise.

And while she’s shown flashes of brilliance—particularly on the defensive end—her overall production has failed to match the lofty projections that once surrounded her. The Mystics, plagued by injuries and inconsistent playmaking, currently sit outside the top 10 in most power rankings.

More than just numbers, it’s the contrast between Reese and Clark that tells the real story. While Reese has struggled to establish chemistry with her supporting cast, Clark is thriving in Year Two.

Already leading the league in scoring through the first month of the season, Clark is averaging a near triple-double and has recorded multiple 40-point games already—something no player has done since the days of Diana Taurasi. Her ability to take over games in crunch time, combined with her improved court vision and leadership, has elevated not only her game but the entire Fever organization.

“I knew she’d be good,” said one Eastern Conference coach anonymously. “But Caitlin Clark is on a level we haven’t seen since LeBron came into the league. She’s that impactful. Angel’s talented, don’t get me wrong—but Clark is rewriting expectations every single night.”

The rankings seem to reflect that reality. While Reese’s Mystics hover around .500, the Fever are already sitting pretty at 9-1, with a top-3 defense and the best net rating in the league.

Clark’s individual ranking? She’s not just first among rookies this season—she’s arguably the No. 1 player in the league period, ahead of veterans like Sue Bird’s successor in Seattle, Jewell Loyd, and even league scoring champ Elena Delle Donne. That’s not bias. That’s not hype. That’s what happens when you put up historic numbers night after night and lead your team to victories against stacked competition.

Washington, meanwhile, continues to search for answers. Despite drafting two promising guards in the first round this past April, the Mystics’ offense still sputters at times, and Reese has yet to develop the kind of chemistry with her backcourt that would allow her to take over games the way Clark does.

Injuries to key rotation players haven’t helped, and whispers around the league suggest head coach Mike Thibault may be on the hot seat if the team doesn’t show significant improvement in the coming months.

“I’m not worried,” Reese said during a recent press conference, refusing to get drawn into the comparisons. “Every player’s journey is different. Caitlin’s doing her thing—and I’m focused on doing mine. We’ll see where we are at the end of the season.”

Fair enough. But the numbers don’t lie. While Clark is building a case for MVP and Most Improved Player in the same breath, Reese is still searching for consistency. The gap between them—in production, in leadership, and now in the standings—is growing wider every week.

As the season progresses, expect the rankings to shift again. The Aces, Lynx, and Atlanta Dream all have the pieces to make deep playoff runs. But for now, it’s Indiana’s world—and Caitlin Clark is the undisputed queen of it.

With every highlight reel play and every game-winning shot, she’s not only distancing herself from the field—she’s leaving the rest of the league wondering how they plan to stop her.

Angel Reese may still have her moment. The 2025 season is young, and surprises are inevitable in a league as competitive as this one. But if the latest rankings are any indication, the future of women’s basketball is wearing a Fever jersey—and her name is Caitlin Clark.