SB Nation's WNBA Most Improved Player vote goes to Carla Leite of Portland Fire
The author considered three candidates for the WNBA Most Improved Player award: Shakira Austin, Jessica Shepard, and Carla Leite. After weighing their statistical jumps and overall impact, the author selected Leite as the winner. The article details each player's case, with Shepard's All-Star season and Leite's standout performance in overtime against the Valkyries highlighted.
Leite's selection came after the author weighed three strong candidacies. Shepard's case rested on her leap from Minnesota backup to Dallas All-Star, with scoring rising from 8 to 14.3 points per game and rebounds from 7.3 to 10.9. Austin showed efficiency gains, improving her three-point shooting from 13.3% to 32.7% while anchoring Washington's third-ranked defense.
Leite's defining moment came in overtime against Golden State at Moda Center on September 22. The award recognizes players who expanded their roles dramatically from the previous season. Dalzell noted all three finalists were crucial to their squads and far more impactful than in 2025, making the final decision difficult.
The recognition could elevate Leite's profile among WNBA fans and media, potentially influencing future All-Star selections, endorsement opportunities, and contract negotiations. It may also spotlight the league's growing parity, where players like Shepard and Austin show that roster changes and expanded roles can produce breakout seasons. For younger players, such recognition demonstrates that improvement is valued alongside raw statistics, potentially shaping how teams evaluate development.