The WNBA playoff field is down to four teams, with the 2022 champion soon to be decided.
The Seattle Storm and Las Vegas Aces will kick off their semifinals series on Sunday at 4 p.m. ET, with the Connecticut Sun and Chicago Sky following that game up with Game 1 of their series at 8 p.m. ET. But before things do get started, ESPN decided to rank the top players remaining in the WNBA playoffs, with six Sun players cracking the list.
Jonquel Jones (No. 5), Alyssa Thomas (No. 9), DeWanna Bonner (No. 12), Brionna Jones (No. 17), DiJonai Carrington (No. 21) and Natisha Hiedeman (No. 24) all made the list, tying the Storm and Aces for second most behind the Sky’s seven players.
As the reigning WNBA MVP, Jones was the highest-rated Sun player. Her fifth place spot trailed only Seattle’s Breanna Stewart (No. 1), Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson (No. 2), Las Vegas’ Chelsea Gray (No. 3), and Chicago’s Candace Parker (No. 4). ESPN pointed toward Jones’ value to the Sun as her biggest strength in the excerpt.
Jones’ early foul trouble Wednesday put the Sun in a bit of a bind in their decisive Game 3 battle at Dallas, but her dominant return in the second half demonstrated just how critical she is for the Sun’s success moving forward. Her ability to stay on the floor, and how successfully the Sun can get her touches inside, will be a key for Connecticut to upset Chicago.
It most certainly would be an upset if the Sun could beat the Sky. Not only does Chicago have seven players on the list, but Parker could be argued as the biggest x-factor remaining in the postseason.
