Choosing the Defensive Player of the Year

As someone who votes on WNBA awards, the Defensive Player of the Year is always the most challenging category for me. There are just so many players who excel defensively, and each one brings unique skills and weaknesses to the table.

Some players are fantastic team defenders but might struggle when guarding opponents one-on-one. Others might shine on the perimeter but lack the rim protection that can make a significant difference. It makes me wonder how to even compare a guard’s defensive role to that of a post player—it’s like apples and oranges.

Additionally, I believe team defense plays a vital role. Even if a player has great individual defensive skills, it’s tough for me to justify awarding them if they’re playing for a team that doesn’t have a strong defensive performance overall. I know this has sparked some debate in the past, and I’ve often gone back and forth on it.

With that said, I ended up casting my vote for Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream for Defensive Player of the Year—and, honestly, I feel pretty confident about that decision.

The case for Angel Reese for DPOY

My inclination to vote for Angel Reese came primarily from simply watching her game. If you put aside all the statistics and analytics that WNBA voters often rely on, there was just an undeniable feeling that Reese’s presence transformed the Dream’s defense.

A quick glance at the stats backs up that initial intuition.

Reese’s defensive analytics are impressive. She boasts the best defensive rating differential in the WNBA at -15.1, indicating that teams score significantly more points when she’s not on the court. This clearly shows her value.

Her impact is also evident in how opposing teams struggle offensively. She leads in key defensive metrics like opponent effective field goal differential (-7.4%) and true shooting percentage differential (-5.6%). Simply put, when she’s guarding you, your chances of scoring diminish quite a bit.

Reese’s ability to create turnovers is notable as well. She ranks third in the league for steals per game at 1.8, trailing only her teammates Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada. More impressively, she leads the WNBA in opponent turnover percentage differential at +3.2%. This indicates a significant shift in how often teams turn the ball over with her on the floor.

Additionally, she has a solid defensive VPM of +1.81, which offers insight into her contributions towards preventing points.

Interestingly, for the first time since 2022, someone other than A’ja Wilson leads the league in defensive win shares—Reese has accumulated 2.88 win shares.

Another reason I feel strongly about Reese is her ability to rebound. She currently ranks as the best rebounder in the league, averaging 12.4 rebounds per game, which is notably higher than the second-place player.

The Dream also boasts one of the better defensive ratings in the league, positioned fourth overall.

Other players I considered for Defensive Player of the Year

• Gabby Williams, Golden State Valkyries
• Kiah Stokes, Golden State Valkyries
• A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

I gave serious thought to players from the Golden State Valkyries for this award. However, factors like their limited playing time (under 25 minutes a game) made it tough to justify this prestigious accolade. Plus, Williams’ advanced defensive metrics didn’t measure up.

I also considered A’ja Wilson, as I do every year. She’s an elite rim protector and currently leads the league in blocks. However, the Aces have a weaker defense overall, and Reese’s advanced stats made a stronger case this time around.

This article marks the beginning of a series where I’ll break down my votes for WNBA awards.