With opening night just three days away, the WNBA dropped its annual GM survey Tuesday — 15 executives weighing in on everything from MVP favorites to the best player to build a franchise around. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get into the highlights, including what it all means for your Atlanta Dream.
The Bueckers-Clark Throne Is Already Up for Debate
This time last year, Caitlin Clark was the runaway answer when GMs were asked which player they’d want to start a franchise with. She received 50% of the vote in the 2025 edition of the survey. Twelve months later? That number has been sliced to 20%.
Clark’s injury-plagued 2025 season — in which she appeared in only 13 games due to a series of lower-body ailments — not only derailed her sophomore campaign but shifted how decision-makers view her.
The beneficiary is Paige Bueckers, who just wrapped up one of the most impressive rookie seasons in league history. Bueckers averaged 19.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.6 steals for Dallas on 47.7/33.1/88.8 shooting splits, and tied the single-game rookie scoring record with 44 points. She led all players in the franchise cornerstone question with 33% of the vote.
The honest take: Clark’s talent didn’t go anywhere. None of her injuries were long-term structural concerns, and a healthy Clark heading into 2026 is still a top-five player. But the league’s executives made clear that availability matters — a lesson the Dream know all too well from navigating their own roster health questions over the years.
The Dream Are on Everyone’s Radar — And That Includes the Title
Here’s where things get genuinely exciting for Atlanta fans.
GMs named Angel Reese’s arrival in Atlanta as tied for the most impactful player acquisition of the offseason, with 27% of the vote — matching Gabby Williams’ move to the Golden State Valkyries. That’s significant validation for a trade that raised eyebrows when the return was just two first-round picks.
And it doesn’t stop there. When asked which team will win the 2026 WNBA Finals, 27% of GMs said the Atlanta Dream — putting Atlanta third, behind only the defending champion Las Vegas Aces (40%) and the New York Liberty (33%). For a franchise that was bounced in the first round last season, that’s a statement.
The Dream finished last year with a franchise-record 30 wins, built on the strength of Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray, and Brionna Jones. Now add Angel Reese — the best rebounder in the league — and you have a team that opposing GMs are genuinely afraid of entering a seven-game series.
The one lingering question, which those same GMs acknowledged, is shooting. The Dream crashed out of last year’s playoffs in part because they couldn’t make shots when it mattered most, and Reese’s presence alone won’t solve that issue. If the Dream can get consistent perimeter production, this team is built to make noise deep into May.
A’ja Wilson Is Still the Standard
No surprises at the top. Wilson received 60% of the GM vote to win the 2026 MVP award, with Breanna Stewart a distant second at 27%. Wilson also led in votes for the player who forces the most adjustments defensively, and was recognized as the best at two positions — forward and center — a testament to just how dominant and versatile she is.
If the Dream have any hope of winning a title this year, they’ll need to have an answer for her. That’s the challenge every team in this league faces.
The Rookie Class to Watch
Despite being the No. 1 overall pick, Azzi Fudd didn’t earn a single vote from GMs for which 2026 rookie will be the best player in five years. Instead, Awa Fam, a 19-year-old Spanish center now with the Seattle Storm, pulled in 67% of the vote for that category, while Olivia Miles of the Lynx grabbed the remaining 33%. Miles also dominated the Rookie of the Year question with 73% of the vote — largely because, as a point guard running her own team’s offense, she’ll simply have more opportunity to put up numbers than Fudd playing off the ball alongside Bueckers and Arike Ogunbowale.
Bottom Line
The 2026 season is shaping up to be the most competitive in league history. The Aces are the defending champs and the favorite. Bueckers has officially announced herself as a face of the league. And the Atlanta Dream — with Angel Reese, a proven core, and genuine title-contender status in the eyes of their peers — are poised for a season that could define the next era of the franchise.
Opening night is Friday. We’ll be watching every minute of it.
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