– Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson has been named the 2023 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today. This is the second WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for Wilson, who also earned the honor last season.
In her sixth WNBA season, Wilson led the league with a career-high 2.23 blocks per game, ranked third in defensive rebounds per game (7.5), and was 10th in steals per game (1.40). Wilson grabbed at least 10 defensive rebounds in a game nine times. She also recorded nine games with at least four blocks and 10 games with at least three steals.
Behind Wilson, Las Vegas (34-6) set a WNBA single-season record for victories and earned the No. 1 seed in the 2023 WNBA Playoffs presented by Google. The Aces have since advanced to the WNBA Semifinals and will host Game 1 of their Semifinals series against the Dallas Wings on Sunday, Sept. 24 (5 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
The 6-4 Wilson helped Las Vegas lead the league in defensive rating (97.7), blocks (4.78 bpg), and defensive rebound percentage (73.3) and rank second in fewest points allowed (80.3 ppg) and opponent field goal percentage (42.6).
Wilson ranked third in the WNBA in scoring (22.8 ppg) and second in rebounding (9.5 rpg), recording career highs in each category. The five-time WNBA All-Star also shot a career-best 55.7 percent from the field, the third-highest mark in the league.
List of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year winners by year, history from 1997-2023.
2023 — A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas
2022 — A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas
2021 — Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota
2020 — Candace Parker, Los Angeles
2019 — Natasha Howard, Seattle
2018 — Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota
2017 — Alana Beard, Los Angeles
2016 — Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota
2015 — Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
2014 — Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury
2013 — Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky
2012 — Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
2011 — Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky
2010 — Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
2009 — Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
2008 — Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
2007 — Lauren Jackson, Seattle Storm
2006 — Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
2005 — Tamika Catchings, Indiana Fever
2004 — Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks
2003 — Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
2002 — Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
2001 — Debbie Black, Miami Sol
2000 — Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
1999 — Yolanda Griffith, Sacramento Monarchs
1998 — Teresa Weatherspoon, New York Liberty
1997 — Teresa Weatherspoon, New York Liberty
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