WNBA Hoopers Hierarchy: No. 22-24 Ezi Magbegor, Brittney Sykes and Natasha Howard

Editor’s Note: This is one of a series of stories ranking the top 30 players in the WNBA as part of Quickbooks’ “WNBA Hoopers Hierarchy.” Check out the rest of the rankings here.

Defense defines the Seattle Storm’s Ezi Magbegor, the Washington Mystics’ Brittney Sykes and the Dallas Wings’ Natasha Howard. Magbegor has made two All-Defensive Teams, Sykes has four All-Defensive honors in her career and Howard owns a Defensive Player of the Year award, in addition to a pair of All-Defensive selections. Yet, their impact is not limited to one end of the floor.

That’s why they claim spots No. 22, No. 23 and No. 24 in the WNBA Hoopers Hierarchy, Swish Appeal’s ranking of the top 30 players in the league in 2024.

No. 22 Ezi Magbegor

Ezi Magbegor is one of the premier defensive players in the league. She’s made the All-Defensive Team the last two seasons because of her remarkable rim protection. Magbegor is an excellent post defender and she rarely falls for shot fakes, meaning she’s very disciplined on that end.

Her role on the Seattle Storm gradually has increased every season since she entered the league. In 2022, she became a regular starter, teaming with Breanna Stewart to anchor a top-three defense in the league. However, last year the team took a massive step back defensively with the departure of Stewart and Sue Bird’s retirement. (The 2023 Storm also finished last in offensive efficiency.)

Magbegor so far has been put in pretty good situations defensively to succeed. I think she has limitations containing pick-and-roll actions in space. Teams make a conscious effort to attack her on the perimeter, which means certain matchups and defensive schemes can limit her. Then there’s the offensive end, where she’s still pretty inconsistent.

She’s a solid extra passer and has made leaps as an outside shooter. If she can continue to make improvements there and become a reliable stretch big, that will change everything. But without a consistent jump shot or good finishing ability, there are diminishing returns when pairing her with skilled offensive units.

Magbegor is still fantastic as a rim protector and post defender; there’s an argument for her being a top-five defender in the league. That’s enough to make her a top 25 player in the WNBA.

No. 23 Brittney Sykes

Brittney Sykes exploded last season, having easily the best season of her career. Joining a Washington Mystics team that was pretty abysmal offensively, Sykes somehow raised the team to respectable offensive efficiency, despite the team’s lack of shooting. Last season, the Mystics posted a 103 offensive rating when Sykes was on the floor, which would have been good for fifth-best offense in the league; when she went to the bench, the Mystics dropped to a 94 offensive rating, which would have ranked last.

This type of floor raising is incredible when you consider what she did defensively as well. Sykes is an amazing help defender as a guard. The thing that jumps out when watching her is her athleticism and first step. Sykes was voted by general managers as the most athletic player in the WNBA, which doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.

Rim pressure was another strength of Sykes’ that was a godsend to the Mystics last season. Because Washington’s other guards didn’t put tremendous pressure on the basket with their drives, the Mystics’ overall shot quality was relatively low in 2023. The Mystics’ rim shot frequency, however, increased by six percent with Sykes on the court. That is absolutely insane!

Now Sykes is not a 3-point shooter, but last season she shot 35 percent on four attempts per game. That isn’t great efficiency, but for a team that struggled shooting the ball for several seasons, it’s a massive needle mover. I still wouldn’t call her a proficient jump shooter, but any long-term improvement to her outside shot will likely move her up even higher on this list. This year’s Mystics team is much better shooting the ball, so if Sykes can stay healthy, continue attacking the rim, maintain her two-way presence and continue to improve as an outside shooter, she might have a strong argument to crack the top 20 in future seasons.

No. 24 Natasha Howard

Natasha Howard is a versatile forward known for her two-way ability. At 6-foot-2, Howard plays a lot taller than she really is. She and Teaira McCowan, her frontcourt partner with the Dallas Wings, are the most overpowering pairing in the league. It is impossible to keep both of them off the glass.

Offensively, Howard excels in the paint, using her footwork to score in the post. Her post moves and face-up game are polished, allowing her to score pretty well around the rim. She also has a reliable midrange jumper, making her a threat in pick-and-pop situations. Howard’s ability to stretch the floor brings tremendous value. The best part of her game might be her passing. I think Howard has a strong argument to be the best frontcourt passer in the league. She is great at making lay-down passes and she often initiates delay action as a passing hub. Howard also can find backdoor cutters from the high post.

This outside shooting, connective passing and versatile defense are extremely valuable on championship rosters and explain why she’s won three championships, two of which she was a key rotation player for. She may not be in her prime anymore, but she was absolutely incredible for Dallas in their season opener against Chicago. Unfortunately, she came down with a broken foot and is expected to miss the next several weeks.

Howard still has plenty of time to return from injury and re-establish why she’s such a great player. Her blend of offensive and defensive versatility and high IQ passing makes her an indispensable player for the Wings, elevating the team’s performance on multiple fronts.