A'ja Wilson remains the runaway favorite to win the 2026 WNBA MVP award, but the name sitting second in the latest odds has become a bigger story than the frontrunner herself.

According to FanDuel odds shared by Yahoo Sports, Wilson sits as a massive favorite in the -1200 to -1250 range, given her dominant season for the Las Vegas Aces.

The real conversation is happening around who's behind her. Minnesota Lynx rookie Olivia Miles currently holds the second spot at around +800, ahead of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (+4500), as per an X post by @YahooSports.

Miles, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, has put together one of the more impressive rookie campaigns in recent memory. She's averaging roughly 19.7 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game, shooting close to 50 percent from the field and nearly 40 percent from three. 

Her efficiency and ability to run an offense have helped keep Minnesota near the top of the standings even through injuries earlier in the season, with numbers strong enough to justify her spot in the oddsmakers' eyes.

Clark, meanwhile, has been putting up around 22.5 points per game while leading the league in assists at roughly 8.4 per contest. Her usage, gravity on the floor, and overall influence on both winning and viewership have made her case for the number two spot one that a large portion of fans feel is more deserving than Miles'.

With only a handful of games left in the regular season, it would take a historic individual run for these odds, per an X post by @YahooSports, to shift much. 

Wilson's grip on the top spot isn't going anywhere. But the gap between Miles and Clark in the odds has turned into one of the more debated storylines of the late season, with plenty of people weighing in on how much rookie efficiency should count against proven, high-volume production.

Fans react to Miles’ potential second place for MVP 

The response from fans has been loud and largely one-sided. Many have argued the real MVP conversation should realistically be a two-player race between Wilson and Clark, with Miles viewed as a distant third regardless of what the odds say. 

“It's between Aja & Caitlin. Caitlin is the most talented player. Aja has the numbers cuz she plays for herself. By vote is for the Obvious Caitlin Clark.”

Another fan echoed the sentiment, shooting down Miles’ chances at #2.

“Miles at 2 is a joke, and she’s carrying!”

Many fans have pushed back on the idea that a rookie should not take precedence over a proven star already credited with reshaping the league's visibility and record books.

“Lmfao Olivia Miles. B****, please. Caitlin will face this shot from you woke her whole career. Learn stats. They don’t even guard Miles.”

Another fan held the same sentiment and expressed astonishment at the rankings.

“Can anybody explain WHY Miles is second?!?!? WHY???

The conversation in the comment section shifted to stats and championships, as one fan expressed:

“Olivia shouldn't even be in the conversation. She never won a championship or even took her college team to the finals. She plays for a stacked team now. It's hard to argue that she elevated the team. That's not MVP.”

Do you think Olivia Miles' rookie efficiency justifies her spot ahead of Caitlin Clark in MVP odds? 

Written by

Zaid Quraishi