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WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

Annual basketball award

Annual basketball award

The Women's National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) award given since the league's inaugural season -- 1997, to the top defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award.

Tamika Catchings has won the defensive player of the year award more times than any other player with the record of 5.

Winners

Team (X)Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won
SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityTeamFirst-Place VotesRef.Teresa WeatherspoonTeresa Weatherspoon (2)Yolanda GriffithSheryl SwoopesSheryl Swoopes (2)Sheryl Swoopes (3)Lisa LeslieTamika CatchingsTamika Catchings (2)Lauren JacksonLisa Leslie (2)Tamika Catchings (3)Tamika Catchings (4)Sylvia FowlesTamika Catchings (5)Sylvia Fowles (2)Brittney GrinerBrittney Griner (2)Sylvia Fowles (3)Natasha HowardSylvia Fowles (4)A'ja WilsonA'ja Wilson (2)Napheesa CollierAlanna SmithA'ja Wilson (3)
1997GuardNew York Liberty22 out of 37
1998GuardNew York Liberty (2)28 out of 45
1999CenterSacramento Monarchs17 out of 51
2000Guard / ForwardHouston Comets33 out of 62
2001Debbie BlackGuardMiami Sol22 out of 60
2002Guard / ForwardHouston Comets (2)22 out of 60
2003Guard / ForwardHouston Comets (3)35 out of 54
2004CenterLos Angeles Sparks27 out of 46
2005ForwardIndiana Fever35 out of 50
2006ForwardIndiana Fever (2)43 out of 56
2007Forward / CenterSeattle Storm20 out of 48
2008CenterLos Angeles Sparks (2)20 out of 43
2009ForwardIndiana Fever (3)34 out of 40
2010ForwardIndiana Fever (4)30 out of 39
2011CenterChicago Sky19 out of 40url=http://www.excellesports.com/news/sylvia-fowles-wins-wnba-defensive-player-of-the-year/title=Sylvia Fowles wins WNBA Defensive Player of the Yeardate=2016-09-30language=en-USaccess-date=2016-10-01}}
2012ForwardIndiana Fever (5)19 out of 41
2013CenterChicago Sky (2)21 out of 39
2014CenterPhoenix Mercury31 out of 38
2015CenterPhoenix Mercury (2)33 out of 39
2016CenterMinnesota Lynx19 out of 39
2017Alana BeardGuard / ForwardLos Angeles Sparks (3)28 out of 40
2018Alana Beard (2)Guard / ForwardLos Angeles Sparks (4)16 out of 39
2019Guard / ForwardSeattle Storm (2)33 out of 43
2020Candace ParkerForward / CenterLos Angeles Sparks (5)16 out of 47
2021CenterMinnesota Lynx (2)31 out of 49
2022ForwardLas Vegas Aces20 out of 56
2023Las Vegas Aces (2)32 out of 60
2024Minnesota Lynx (3)36 out of 60
2025Minnesota Lynx (4)29 out of 72
CenterLas Vegas Aces (3)

Multi-time winners

AwardsPlayerTeam(s)Years
5Tamika CatchingsIndiana Fever2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012
4Sylvia FowlesChicago Sky / Minnesota Lynx2011, 2013, 2016, 2021
3Sheryl SwoopesHouston Comets2000, 2002, 2003
A'ja WilsonLas Vegas Aces2022, 2023, 2025
2Teresa WeatherspoonNew York Liberty1997, 1998
Lisa LeslieLos Angeles Sparks2004, 2008
Brittney GrinerPhoenix Mercury2014, 2015
Alana BeardLos Angeles Sparks2017, 2018

References

References

  1. "Saying Goodbye to WNBA Great Tamika Catchings".
  2. "WNBA.com: Los Angeles' Lisa Leslie Named 2008 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year".
  3. (2016-09-30). "Sylvia Fowles wins WNBA Defensive Player of the Year".
  4. (September 12, 2017). "Los Angeles’ Alana Beard Named 2017 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year". WNBA.
  5. (August 30, 2018). "Sparks’ Alana Beard Named 2018 Defensive Player Of The Year". WNBA.
  6. (September 11, 2019). "Seattle’s Natasha Howard Named 2019 WNBA Defensive Player Of The Year". WNBA.
  7. (September 24, 2020). "Candace Parker Named 2020 WNBA Defensive Player Of The Year". WNBA.
  8. "Sylvia Fowles Named 2021 WNBA Defensive Player Of The Year".
  9. (August 30, 2022). "Las Vegas Aces' A'ja Wilson Named 2022 Kia WNBA Defensive Player Of The Year". WNBA.
  10. (September 22, 2023). "Aces star A'ja Wilson wins second straight DPOY award". [[ESPN]].
  11. (September 29, 2024). "Napheesa Collier Named 2024 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year". [[Minnesota Lynx]].
  12. (September 18, 2025). "Minnesota Lynx's Alanna Smith and Las Vegas Aces’ A'ja Wilson Named 2025 Kia WNBA Co-Defensive Players of the Year". [[WNBA]].
  13. Struck, Logan. (September 18, 2025). "Alanna Smith, A'ja Wilson Make WNBA History With DPOY Announcement".
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