SerpApi.Org
As Chelsea Gray neared the Las Vegas Aces' all-time franchise assist record in early June, Becky Hammon jokingly said she considered pulling her veteran point guard from the game to preserve her own record a little longer.
"She's one of the greatest to ever do it," Hammon said after Gray achieved the milestone on June 6. "Who cares about records? They're meant to be broken and you want the next generation to be better than your generation, and they are. I'm super proud of who Chelsea is
"Her mind is just a beautiful mind for the game."
From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.
The greatest point guards aren't defined by assists alone. They dictate pace, elevate those around them and control the game with poise and basketball IQ few possess.
USA TODAY Sports' Studio IX is ranking the top 10 players in WNBA history in each position — point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center — in celebration of the league's 30th anniversary. Here's the all-time greatest point guards:
10. Dawn Staley
Charlotte Sting (1999–2005), Houston Comets (2005–2006)
The Virginia standout was drafted No. 9 by the Charlotte Sting in 1999 after playing two seasons in the now-defunct American Basketball League (ABL). Dawn Staley averaged 8.5 points and 5.1 assists in 263 career games (256 starts). At 5-foot-6, the undersized guard was named to five WNBA All-Star teams and won three Olympic gold medals with Team USA.
9. Skylar Diggins
Tulsa Shock (2013-15), Dallas Wings (2016-18), Phoenix Mercury (2020-23), Seattle Storm (2024-25), Chicago Sky (2026-present)
Skylar Diggins was drafted out of Notre Dame by Tulsa in 2013 with the third overall pick, but her breakout campaign came the following year in 2014 when she earned her first of seven All-Star nods and was named the 2014 WNBA Most Improved Player Award. Diggins has averaged 16.3 points and 5.3 assists in 354 career games (and counting) and her 1,861 career assists ranks ninth all-time. Diggins has made six All-WNBA teams in her career.
8. Becky Hammon
New York Liberty (1999-2006), San Antonio Silver Stars (2007-2014)
Becky Hammon is widely considered the greatest undrafted player in WNBA history. After going undrafted out of Colorado State in 1999, Hammon was signed by the New York Liberty and went on to have a 16-year WNBA career. The undersized 5-foot-6 guard averaged 13.0 points and 3.8 assists in 450 career games, earning six-All-Star nods, four All-WNBA picks and an assist title in 2007. She became the seventh player to surpass 5,000 career points and her 1,708 assists currently ranks 10th all-time in the league. While she never won a title as player, Hammon has won three as head coach of the Las Vegas Aces (2022, 2023, 2025).
7. Caitlin Clark
Indiana Fever (2024-present)
At 24-year-old may have only been in the WNBA for three years, but Caitlin Clark's already in the league's best playmakers conversation. Since being drafted No. 1 overall out of Iowa by the Fever in 2024, the three-time All-Star set rookie records for points (769) and assists (337). Clark also set the WNBA single-game assist record with 19 assists on July 17, 2024 and claimed the WNBA single-season assist record in 2024, which was later broken by Alyssa Thomas (357) in 2025.
Clark takes full advantage of her gravity on the court and her ability to pull up from the logo or find her teammate a wide-open shot makes her dangerous. Despite being limited to 13 games in 2025, Clark is averaging 18.9 points and 8.2 assists per game across her first three seasons. Earlier this month, Clark became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 600 assists in 72 games. The 6-foot guard holds the most 20-point, 10-assist games all-time with 14 under her belt. When her career is all said and done, she'll be much higher on this list.
6. Teresa Weatherspoon
New York Liberty (1997–2003), Los Angeles Sparks (2004)
The New York Liberty trailed the Houston Comets 67-65 with 2.4 seconds left in Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals with no timeouts remaining. Teresa Weatherspoon received the inbound pass and knocked down an iconic buzzer-beating half-court shot to tie the series. The Comets went on to win Game 3 and the title, but Weatherspoon and the shot were seared into WNBA history.
Weatherspoon joined the Liberty in the WNBA's inaugural season in 1997 at age 31 and went on to lead the league in both assists and steals that season. The 5-foot-8 guard was known for her suffocating defense as much as her playmaking abilities, and emerged as the pulse of the Liberty team that advanced to four WNBA Finals during her seven seasons. Weatherspoon is a five-time All-Star (1999–2003), four-time second-team All-WNBA (1997–2000), two-time Defensive Player of the Year (1997, 1998) and two-time WNBA steals champion (1997, 1998).
5. Ticha Penicheiro
Sacramento Monarchs (1998-2009), Los Angeles Sparks (2010-2011), Chicago Sky (2012)
It didn't take long for the Portugal native to make a splash in the WNBA. After being drafted No. 2 overall by the Sacramento Monarchs out of Old Dominion in 1998, Ticha Penicheiro led the league in assists as a rookie and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting. The 5-foot-11 guard led the league in assists seven total times (1998–2003, 2010), tied with Vandersloot for the most in WNBA history. She was named to four consecutive All-Star teams (1999-2002), three All-WNBA teams and a first-team All-Defense nod en route to helping the Monarchs win its first and only WNBA Championship in 2005 before the franchise ceased operations in 2009.
Penicheiro is known for her playmaking more her scoring, averaging 5.7 assists and 6.1 points across 15 seasons, and her court vision is what stood out. She captivated audiences with her no-look pass and became known for her signature spin pass. Penicheiro ranks second all-time in steals (764), third in assists (2,599) and holds the WNBA single-game steals record with 10 on July 10, 2003.
4. Lindsay Whalen
Connecticut Sun (2004-2009), Minnesota Lynx (2010-2018)
Lindsay Whalen was drafted out of Minnesota No. 4 overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by Connecticut, where she spent the first six seasons of her career and led the Sun to two Finals appearances. The Minnesota native, however, is synonymous with the Lynx, where she won four championships (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) in six Finals appearances. The 5-foot-9 floor general averaged 11.5 points and 4.9 assists over her 15-year career, highlighted by her lightning-quick release and passes that helped her lead the league in assists three times (2008, 2011, 2012).
"She's like our quarterback," Sylvia Fowles said in 2018 when Whalen officially retired from the league.
Whalen earned five WNBA All-Star selections, five All-WNBA honors and her eight WNBA Finals appearances ties Rebekkah Brunson for the most in league history. Whalen's 323 regular season wins rank second all-time behind Sue Bird (333), while her 2,345 career assists ranks fifth.
3. Courtney Vandersloot
Chicago Sky (2011-2022, 2025-present), New York Liberty (2023-2024)
During the Chicago Sky's loss to the Dallas Wings earlier this month, Natasha Cloud made one thing clear after a fan was chirping at Courtney Vandersloot: "This is one of the top point guards that ever played."
That's not an exaggeration by any means. Vandersloot is the only player in WNBA history to average double-digit assists in a single season (10.0 apg in 2020) and her 2,918 career assists rank second all-time behind Sue Bird. Vandersloot was drafted out of Gonzaga by the Sky with the No. 3 pick in 2011 and picked up her first of five All-Star nods during her rookie season. The 5-foot-8 Washington native has averaged 10 points and 6.6 assists across her 16-year career, which has been spent primarily in Chicago.
Vandersloot helped the Sky to their first and only championship in 2021, where she averaged 12.5 assists in the WNBA Finals. She won another title with New York in 2024. Vandersloot led the league in assists seven times (2014, 2017–2021, 2023) and was named to five All-WNBA teams. She's working her way back from an ACL tear suffered in June 2025.
2. Chelsea Gray
Connecticut Sun (2014-15), Los Angeles Sparks (2016–2020), Las Vegas Aces (2021–present)
Chelsea Gray isn't called the Point Gawd for nothing. Her ability to score and facilitate makes her an easy pick. The Duke guard was drafted by the Sun in 2014 and spent two seasons in Connecticut, five in Los Angeles and six in Las Vegas, where she's claimed the franchise assist record last month. Gray's 2,048 career assists (and counting) rank sixth all-time in WNBA history and second among active players, trailing only Courtney Vandersloot (2,912).
"It's a testament to all the players that I've been able to play with. I've played with some great players and I'm currently playing with great players," Gray said last month. "And so you need a little help to get those assists. So man, I'm just blessed to be in the position that I am healthy, having fun doing it and enjoying the moment."
The six-time All-Star has averaged 12 points and 5.2 assists throughout her career, including a career-high 7.4 assists per game in the Aces' unlikely championship run in 2025. Gray has won four WNBA championships (2016, 2022, 2023, 2025) and was named the Finals MVP in 2022 after upping her production to 18.3 points and six assists per game. Gray's resume is rounded out by three All-WNBA team nods.
1. Sue Bird
Seattle Storm (2002–2022)
Sue Bird has been a champion every stage of her career. The 5-foot-9 guard has won at the collegiate level at UConn and the global stage, winning five Olympic gold medals with the U.S. women's national team. But we're focusing solely on Bird's 19-year WNBA career, which easily lands her on the Mount Rushmore of point guards.
Bird is the league's all-time assists leader (3,234), averaging 5.6 assists and 2.4 turnovers across her career. She led the league in assists three times (2005, 2009, 2016). Her 13 All-Star selections and nine All-Star starts is second to none and her four WNBA championships (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) is tied for the second most in WNBA history. Bird is the only player to win three championships in three different decades, highlighting not only her longevity, but her dominance.
Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at [email protected] and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA 30: These are the 10 greatest point guards the league has seen
