The WNBA's 30th season has reached its halfway point, and the MVP race has a clear leader. Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson is putting together another dominant year, and she's pulled well ahead of the field heading into the All-Star break. A few challengers, led by Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers, aren't ready to give her the trophy.

Here's where the top candidates stand as the league heads into All-Star weekend on July 25 in Chicago.

Wilson averages 25.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists for the Aces, with 1.5 steals, 2.0 blocks, and shooting 51.5% from the field and 40.0% from 3. She's a -330 favorite for her 5th MVP at FanDuel. 

The reigning MVP leads in blocks, ranks 3rd in rebounds, and has Las Vegas at 17-7, 2nd in the WNBA. CBS Sports' midseason awards panel unanimously picked Wilson, with voter fatigue or injury as the main threats to her 5th MVP.

Bueckers challenges Wilson, highlighting her impact on the Wings, who improved from a league-worst 10-34 last season to 16-8 this year, with a 5-game winning streak. During this run, Bueckers tied Katie Smith for the longest streak by a guard in WNBA history of scoring at least 20 points on over 50% shooting in 5 consecutive games.

The second-year guard averages 20.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists, with a 51.6% field goal and 38.1% from 3.0, and 4.0 win shares, just behind Wilson's 4.4. Dallas is 1.5 games behind Las Vegas for second place. If Bueckers continues to sustain her elite production and the Wings are among the WNBA's best in the standings, the MVP race heats up.

Minnesota's Olivia Miles was the 2nd overall pick and is playing like she should've gone 1st, averaging 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 5.6 assists for the Lynx, who have the league's best record at 19-6 without star forward Napheesa Collier, who has yet to play this season. 

Miles missed a couple of games in July with an ankle injury but came back with 23 points in a July 11 win over New York. CBS Sports' panel unanimously picked her for Rookie of the Year, and while MVP will likely stay out of reach behind Wilson and Bueckers, she's been the biggest riser in the odds market all season.

Caitlin Clark started as the second-most likely MVP at +260 but has fallen to +1000 due to her performance and the team's standing. She averages 20.1 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists, cutting turnovers to 4.6 but shooting 42.7% from the field and 33.1% from three. 

Her advanced stats are below league leaders, with 1.7 win shares compared to Wilson's 4.4 and Bueckers' 4.0, and Indiana fares worse with her on the floor. The Fever are 14-10, tied for 5th, with half the season remaining.

If Clark goes on a heater and leads Indiana on a lengthy winning streak, she could generate a meaningful level of momentum for her candidacy. However, it would need to happen soon.

Breanna Stewart is the last name with realistic MVP odds before a steep drop-off to the rest of the field, sitting at +3000. The two-time MVP is averaging 20.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists but is shooting just 22.9% from 3-point range, and the Liberty have slid to 13-11, eighth in the league. New York needs a big second half for Stewart's case to gain any real traction.

Rhyne Howard has had a strong season, averaging 18.9 points and leading with 2.5 steals per game. Despite strong stats, she was left off the All-Star starting lineup, and Atlanta's 14-10 record hasn't helped. However, the Dream recently went on a five-game losing streak, which should impact her outlook for a while.

All 15 teams break for All-Star weekend in Chicago on July 25, with the trade deadline on Aug. 2. Wilson remains the heavy favorite, but if Bueckers keeps lifting Dallas, the MVP race could get interesting.