Caitlin Clark finished fourth in the 2026 WNBA MVP race, and her position has started a debate among fans. Now, one voter has explained why he picked Kelsey Mitchell over the Indiana Fever guard and did not include Clark in his top five.

A’ja Wilson winning her fifth MVP award was expected. However, Clark’s fourth-place finish raised questions. She finished behind Olivia Miles and teammate Kelsey Mitchell. One voter, Dan Falkenheim, explained his choice by pointing to Mitchell’s scoring, defence, and Clark’s turnovers before sharing his full ballot.

Dan Falkenheim wrote, “I voted A’ja Wilson for MVP. Easy: No player did more for their team on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.”

Wilson’s impact on both ends of the court made the decision easy for him. Dan Falkenheim wrote this on X, where he, however, found it harder to rank the other players, especially Clark and Mitchell.

His final ballot placed Wilson first, followed by Miles, Mitchell, Breanna Stewart, and Paige Bueckers. He explained that choosing between Clark and Mitchell was difficult because both played for a team that finished sixth.

The voter accepted that both guards had strong cases but decided to select only one. 

He wrote, “No guard, other than Mitchell this season, has ever averaged more than 18 points per game on at least 64% true shooting. In words: Mitchell had the most efficient high-volume scoring season from a guard in WNBA history.”

Mitchell scored more than 18 points per game with great shooting efficiency. The voter felt this made her MVP case stronger. He also believed Mitchell faced tougher defenders, while Clark made more turnovers.

Although he praised Clark’s playmaking, he felt her mistakes hurt her chances. This raises a question about comparing two teammates. 

Why Caitlin Clark still had a strong case for MVP recognition

In the same tweet, the voter accepted that Clark also had strong reasons to earn MVP votes, even though he left her out of his top five. He recognised that Clark had a bigger role in creating Indiana’s offence and also praised her efficiency.

He also admitted that Mitchell’s success was partly linked to Clark’s presence on the court. Clark’s passing and ability to create chances for her teammates were important factors when comparing the two guards.

The voter explained, “There are good arguments for Clark over Mitchell, too. Clark’s overall offensive creation burden is higher, she was also efficient, and it’s hard to untangle Mitchell’s success from Clark’s presence.”

This showed that the voter did not believe Clark lacked the qualities needed to compete for the MVP award. Instead, he gave more importance to Mitchell’s scoring efficiency and defensive work when comparing their seasons.

The debate also shows how difficult it can be to compare teammates. Mitchell’s scoring numbers supported her individual case, while Clark’s playmaking showed how much she contributed to the team’s offence. Both qualities matter, but voters may value them differently.

In the end, the voter explained why he chose Mitchell over Clark. Other voters could still reach a different conclusion. Clark’s absence from his ballot has sparked discussion, but his decision came down to scoring efficiency, defence, and turnovers rather than ignoring her impact on offence.

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Kapil Manghnani brings over 4.5 years of experience in sports journalism, covering a wide range of sports, including Soccer, NHL, Tennis, Gymnastics, NASCAR, Swimming, and more. He has written for leading sports platforms, producing everything from breaking news and features to in-depth analysis, opinion pieces, long-form stories, and short-form content. Beyond articles, he has also scripted long-form storytelling videos for YouTube channels. His work focuses on delivering well-researched, engaging, and reader-first sports content across multiple formats.

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