Taking a look at the 2022 All-WNBA teams

The All-WNBA First and Second Teams were announced Thursday night just before Game 3 of the Finals. Fifty-six media members voted for the honors; First Team votes were worth five points and Second Team votes were worth three points.

First Team

A’ja Wilson

Las Vegas Aces center/forward

19.5 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.9 bpg

First Team votes: 56, Second Team votes: 0, Points: 280

First Team selections: 2, Second Team selections: 1

Breanna Stewart

Seattle Storm forward

21.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.6 spg, 37.9 percent from three with 67 makes

First Team votes: 56, Second Team votes: 0, Points: 280

First Team selections: 4, Second Team selections: 1

She did just about everything to win the MVP award, but there was another amazing candidate. Stewart is widely considered to be the best player in the world and the fact that she consistently shows up on this list is a big reason why. She won the scoring title and led the Storm to a fourth-place finish.

Kelsey Plum

Las Vegas Aces guard

20.2 ppg, 5.1 apg, 1 spg, 42 percent from three with 113 makes

First Team votes: 50, Second Team Votes: 5, Points: 265

First Team selections: 1, Second Team selections: 0

She finished third in MVP voting and fourth in MIP voting after improving her career-best scoring average by 5.4. She met Tom Brady this year and her big personality was on full display. She seemed to thoroughly enjoy the season.

Skylar Diggins-Smith

Phoenix Mercury guard

19.7 ppg, 4 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.5 spg, 1 bpg

First Team votes: 21, Second Team votes: 26, Points: 183

First Team selections: 4, Second Team selections: 2

She was disrespected by fellow players in All-Star voting. You can’t argue with Diggins-Smith’s numbers and what she does on the court. She and Brittney Griner put Phoenix on their backs in 2021 without Griner this year, Diggins-Smith was clearly the Mercury’s best player.

Candace Parker

Chicago Sky forward/center

13.2 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1 spg, 1 bpg

First Team votes: 24, Second Team votes: 21, Points: 183

First Team selections: 7, Second Team selections: 3

At age 36, she’s four years older than the next oldest player on the First Team (Diggins-Smith). The scoring numbers won't blow you away like they would earlier in her career, but her rebounding, distributing and leadership earned her one first-place MVP vote. She led the Sky to a No. 2 seed.

Second Team

Alyssa Thomas

Connecticut Sun forward

13.4 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 6.1 apg, 1.7 spg

First Team votes: 20, Second Team votes: 25, Points: 175

First Team selections: 0, Second Team selections: 1

She had a good case to be on the First Team and finished in fourth place in MVP voting. Her success given her style of play is so amazing. As Rebecca Lobo and Ryan Ruocco say, she’s one of one. It’s great to see her overcome the torn labra and have this type of success.

Sabrina Ionescu

New York Liberty guard

17.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 6.3 apg, 1.1 spg, 83 made threes, 93.1 percent at the line

First Team votes: 15, Second Team votes: 31, Points: 168

First Team selections: 0, Second Team selections: 1

Being on a weaker regular-season team hurt her chances of making the First Team, but her Liberty ended up being one win away from the semifinals. And if you’re not looking at team success, her numbers, when all three major categories are considered, were through the roof. She had two triple-doubles this year.

Nneka Ogwumike

Los Angeles Sparks forward

18.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.7 spg, 54.4 percent from the field

First Team votes: 9, Second Team votes: 32, Points: 141

First Team selections: 1, Second Team selections: 4

Another player from a weaker team, Ogwumike put the Sparks on her back this year. She is a true Spark and a true leader. It’s a shame the team couldn’t have had more success. She is a disrespected former MVP and it was good to see her back in the MVP conversation.

Jonquel Jones

Connecticut Sun center/forward

14.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.2 bpg

First Team votes: 12, Second Team votes: 22, Points: 126

First Team selections: 1, Second Team selections: 3

The 2021 MVP. Three more people saw her on the First Team than saw Ogwumike on the First Team, but she got 10 fewer Second Team votes. The numbers weren’t as great for Jones as last year, but her presence as a threat to score from anywhere again made her so valuable.

Sylvia Fowles

Minnesota Lynx center

14.4 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1 spg, 1.2 bpg, 62.2 percent from the field

First Team votes: 1, Second Team votes: 20, Points: 65

First Team selections: 3, Second Team selections: 5

She caps off her farewell season with an All-WNBA nod. That’s what you get when you lead the league in rebounding and field goal percentage. Like with Parker, it is so impressive that she was still at the top of her game at age 36.