A'ja Wilson wins 2nd straight DPOY, headlines All-Defensive 1st team
A'ja Wilson added more hardware to her trophy cabinet, taking home Defensive Player of the Year honors for the second straight season, the league announced Friday.
Wilson topped the WNBA in blocks (2.2 per game) for the third time in the last four seasons. The Las Vegas Aces star also led the league in defensive win shares (3.5) and placed 10th in steals (1.4).
Wilson earned 32 of 60 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. She's the eighth player in league history to capture the honor at least twice.
Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun picked up 24 votes to finish second, while Brittney Sykes of the Washington Mystics received three votes.
New York Liberty wing Betnijah Laney was the only other player to receive a vote for Defensive Player of the Year.
Wilson also headlined the WNBA's All-Defensive team selections.
2023 All-Defensive first team
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| A'ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces |
| Alyssa Thomas | Connecticut Sun |
| Brittney Sykes | Washington Mystics |
| Breanna Stewart | New York Liberty |
| Jordin Canada | Los Angeles Sparks |
2023 All-Defensive second team
| Player | Team |
|---|---|
| Betnijah Laney | New York Liberty |
| Ezi Magbegor | Seattle Storm |
| Nneka Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks |
| Napheesa Collier | Minnesota Lynx |
| Elizabeth Williams | Chicago Sky |