There's nothing more exciting in professional sports than when your team acquires a franchise-changing duo who seem to click immediately. The WNBA is no different. From Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter to Sheryl Swoopes and Cynthia Cooper, this league has had its fair share of entertaining duos.
As we've entered a new era of women's basketball, more pairs emerge each year. Whether it's taken them a couple of years to find their groove or they've hit the ground running in their first year, here are four of the best guard duos in the WNBA right now.
4. Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray, Las Vegas Aces
If we're talking about best duos in recent years, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray might be a little further up. Since uniting in Las Vegas during the 2021 season, Young and Gray have won two championships together and were both named All-Stars in 2023. But we're focusing on this season, in which they're still dominating.
This season, Young and Gray are averaging a combined 30.8 points per game — meaning they score more than 33 percent of the Aces' total average points per game. Young is in the top 10 in points per game, while they both sit in the top five in assists per game. They combine for 13.4 assists per game, more than any other guard duo across the league.
Gray is known as one of the best passers in the league. In July, during a matchup with the Toronto Tempo, Gray dished out an insane behind-the-back pass to Young for a layup. When watching some of her passes back, you have to think to yourself 'Only Jackie Young could've known where she was going with that." That's what makes them so great; their years spent building chemistry make moments like that one happen with ease.
3. Allisha Gray and Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
The chemistry between Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray in recent years has been what makes the Dream the Dream. Just last year, Atlanta set a new franchise record for most wins in a single season. Howard and Gray were the leading scorers of last year's squad. They have the chance to do the same thing this year, except with even more productivity.
This season, Howard and Gray are combining for 37.6 points per game. That's over 41 percent of the Dream's average points per game. They can get insanely hot from 3-point land; the duo averages 5.1 3-pointers a game, shooting at 36.4 percent.
They don't just perform well on the offensive end, either. They combine for 3.7 steals per game. Their dominance also earned them both All-Star nods this season. This was the duo's second straight year both being named All-Stars, and their third total.
2. Olivia Miles and Kayla McBride, Minnesota Lynx
This has been one of the quickest-emerging duos in the league. And I think, for entertainment purposes, WNBA fans are hoping they stick together for a while. Since entering the league, rookie Olivia Miles has broken all kinds of records and brought an unbelievable energy to the Lynx. But, perhaps most importantly, she's meshed so well with her veteran guards.
There's definitely an argument for Miles and Courtney Williams being a deserving duo on this list — but we've gone with Kayla McBride based on recent performances and overall stats this season. McBride and Miles combine for 38.2 points per game — 41.1 percent of the Lynx's 92.2 average points per game. Miles also averages 6.2 assists per game, amplifying her duoship with all of her new teammates.
One of the best moments of the season between this duo so far came during Minnesota's win over the Toronto Tempo. Miles deflected the ball, forcing a turnover, which set her up with a wide-open layup. Instead of going for the bucket, she dished an in-between-the-legs pass to McBride, who was standing at the 3-point line ready to sink the shot.
Back in July, in a close victory over the Phoenix Mercury, the pair combined for 70 points, including 11 3-pointers. Before the season began, McBride shared that after Miles was drafted, she told Head Coach Cheryl Reeve, "I'm going to be so open." Per Andrew Dukowitz, McBride also told reporters, "It’s just something about playing with a true PG; that’s just, you know, you get that ball with the laces and that velocity, it’s just like oh, kid in a candy store truly." And this season, no one has been better at finding K-Mac in those wide-open situations than her rookie point guard — a major reason Minnesota is leading the league and the favorite to win it all.
1. Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever
Kelsey Mitchell and Caitlin Clark are by far the highest-scoring duo in the league — and they're still heating up. The combination of Clark's crafty playmaking and Mitchell's ability to do anything to get a bucket has been working like magic for the Fever this season.
The duo is averaging a whopping 46.3 points per game — more than 48 percent of the Fever's average points per game. There have been 16 games this season in which Clark and Mitchell each scored 20+ points. 13 of those games resulted in victories for the Fever; this team lives and dies by this duo most nights, making them one of, if not the most, valuable across the league. Additionally, this season was Mitchell and Clark's third straight time both being named as All-Stars — each of Clark's years in the league.
The efficiency coming from this duo lately has been fairly remarkable, as well. Over their last seven games, they've averaged a combined 49.8 points per game, shooting at 48.4 percent from the field. Due to their dominant performances, the Fever sit in fourth in the standings. Back in August, Clark told reporters, "(Kelsey) is the best scorer in the league. Hands down, it's not even close." She continued, "It's fun to be in the backcourt with her. I swear, I just swing the rock, and it's an automatic assist."
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