With an array of players around the WNBA circuit, choosing an MVP just a few games into the season is difficult. A league veteran recently tried doing it, but faced the same fate as she navigated a difficult personal choice between Caitlin Clark and A’ja Wilson.

The legend in question is 4-time WNBA champion Cynthia Cooper, who appeared on the latest episode of the Road Trippin’ Show. During the episode, Cooper was asked to make an MVP pick for the 2026 season. The three-time All-Star initially leaned towards Wilson. She remarked on Wilson as the player she would want to square off against, but just three minutes later, she flipped her choice and took CC’s side.

“A’ja Wilson. You’ve got to go to the best just to let them know,” Cooper said. “I don’t think she knows. A’ja and I are friends. Like, we’re cool, but we wouldn’t be on the court. Everybody can get it. Well, I can get it…So, A’ja Wilson is one. The other one I would want to go against is Kelsey Mitchell. She’s so quick, man.”

The Wilson pick seems plausible. After all, many wouldn’t hesitate to put their money on a four-time WNBA MVP to win it one more time. But for Cooper, her choice wasn’t definitive, as she finally placed her faith in Caitlin Clark.

“I’m going, Caitlin Clark,” Cooper said. “She didn’t play her sophomore season. She’s coming off an injury, and she still hasn’t “Oh! Wow,” but I am gonna go there, and here’s why. Because I love a player with a chip on their shoulder. I love a player who has something to prove. I feel like this season, between experience with USA Basketball and being injured last year, I think this is going to be her breakout year.”

As it turns out, Cooper’s final choice isn’t quite bad either. Despite coming off an injury-laden last season, Clark isn’t showcasing any flashes of it in her time on the court. Her stint with USA Basketball during the FIBA World Cup qualifiers already hinted at her form, when she bagged the tournament MVP.

The Fever guard followed it up with a tremendous start to her third WNBA season. It was a definitive challenge for her, especially with the return to the pro circuit after 9+ months. Furthermore, there were doubts creeping in towards her as well.

Analysts and even some GMs in the league hinted at uncertainty about whether Caitlin Clark could step into the same superwoman shoes she wore during the 2024 season. The GM survey also reinforced this, with Clark not even being considered the best point guard in the league, receiving 53% fewer votes than Chelsea Gray. On the other hand, she did receive votes for WNBA MVP.

Meanwhile, most of the votes went to A’ja Wilson (60%) and Breanna Stewart (27%). But as soon as the tournament tipped off, Caitlin Clark clearly proved why she’s one of the best in the league. In the games she has played so far, Clark hasn’t missed a beat, recording 20+ points every single night.

It’s true that Clark has faced inconsistent three-point shooting at times. But at the moment, it’s quite natural, considering her return to the high-paced WNBA after a long injury snub. Furthermore, debates can also arise from a defensive perspective, where Wilson stands out massively, and Clark is still a work in progress.

But against it, the same can be said for playmaking, where only a few can boast better numbers than Clark (currently leading the league with 9.0 assists per game). Thus, both players have their respective trump cards to show why they can be the MVP. But at the end of the season, it will be their consistency that will make the difference between the two.

All things considered, Cynthia Cooper’s assessment holds up. And for context, this isn’t the first time that Cooper has shared high praise for the Fever guard. Exactly a year ago, Cooper had the ultimate praise for Clark.

“Amazing. A beast. She is the truth, and I mean, she’s the truth,” Cooper said of CC. Quite similarly in her appearance at the Road Trippin’ Show, the 4-time WNBA champion didn’t forget to make a bold assessment for CC.

Cynthia Cooper Hints at Caitlin Clark’s Future Ceiling

With all the hype and expectations around Caitlin Clark, it’s very easy to forget that she’s still 24. The prime years of her career are still ahead of her, most possibly 2-3 years down the line. So, how would the Fever guard fare after navigating these years? Well, Cynthia Cooper does have an answer.

“I saw Caitlin Clark play in person, and it was amazing,” Cooper said. “Yeah, she could shoot the three. Yeah, she can handle the rock. She can pass the ball. But to see her navigate an entire game and quietly almost get a triple-double. It was amazing to see, because at that point I was already a fan, and then I’m like, “Oh my god, she’s gonna be great.”

Now, with the consistency and skill set she has displayed in these few years of her WNBA career, Clark is already being touted as a force to be reckoned with. Be it playmaking, shooting, or even rebounding, Clark has nailed all of them. As the years pass and Clark understands her game better, these skill sets will continue to improve, and she will become an even better player.

But the only thing Clark should be wary of is injury. We know that she isn’t much injury-prone, and she didn’t miss a single game during her collegiate days at Iowa. But the 2025 season has kind of flipped the conversation around her. Even this season, we’ve seen her struggle with a stiff back during this initial stretch.

If she somehow navigates these injury nemeses, there’s little doubt that Caitlin Clark’s name will be inked among the league’s greats.