Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard won the WNBA's Most Improved Player award, the league announced Wednesday.
Shepard received 29 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to narrowly beat out Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin.
| Player | Votes received |
|---|---|
| Jessica Shepard (Wings) | 29 |
| Shakira Austin (Mystics) | 25 |
| Carla Leite (Fire) | 11 |
| Marina Mabrey (Tempo) | 4 |
| Dominique Malonga (Storm) | 3 |
| Rae Burrell (Sparks) | 2 |
Shepard joins Skylar Diggins and Satou Sabally as the only players in franchise history to win Most Improved Player.
This one is special 🧡
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 30, 2026
BTS of the moment Jessica Shepard was named the 2026 @Kia Most Improved Player
All the love was felt by Jess with her @DallasWings teammates 🥰 pic.twitter.com/0vCs4n4nGv
The Minnesota Lynx selected Shepard 16th overall in 2019. She spent five seasons with the Lynx before joining the Wings on a two-year, $2.1-million contract during the offseason.
The 30-year-old had a breakout campaign this past year, averaging 14.5 points, 11.1 boards, and 5.3 assists across 42 appearances. She also led her peers with six triple-doubles, which was tied for the second-most in a single season.
Earlier this season, Shepard became the second player in WNBA history to have a 20-point, 20-rebound, and 10-assist game.
