WNBA Defensive Player of the Year


The Women's National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual Women's National Basketball Association 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

SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityTeamFirst-Place Votes
1997Teresa WeatherspoonGuardNew York Liberty22 out of 37
1998Teresa Weatherspoon GuardNew York Liberty 28 out of 45
1999Yolanda GriffithCenterSacramento Monarchs17 out of 51
2000Sheryl SwoopesGuard / ForwardHouston Comets33 out of 62
2001Debbie BlackGuardMiami Sol22 out of 60
2002Sheryl Swoopes Guard / ForwardHouston Comets 22 out of 60
2003Sheryl Swoopes Guard / ForwardHouston Comets 35 out of 54
2004Lisa LeslieCenterLos Angeles Sparks27 out of 46
2005Tamika CatchingsForwardIndiana Fever35 out of 50
2006Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever 43 out of 56
2007Lauren JacksonForward / CenterSeattle Storm20 out of 48
2008Lisa Leslie CenterLos Angeles Sparks 20 out of 43
2009Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever 34 out of 40
2010Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever 30 out of 39
2011Sylvia FowlesCenterChicago Sky19 out of 40
2012Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever 19 out of 41
2013Sylvia Fowles CenterChicago Sky 21 out of 39
2014Brittney GrinerCenterPhoenix Mercury31 out of 38
2015Brittney Griner CenterPhoenix Mercury 33 out of 39
2016Sylvia Fowles CenterMinnesota Lynx19 out of 39
2017Alana BeardGuard / ForwardLos Angeles Sparks 28 out of 40
2018Alana Beard Guard / ForwardLos Angeles Sparks 16 out of 39
2019Natasha HowardGuard / ForwardSeattle Storm 33 out of 43
2020Candace ParkerForward / CenterLos Angeles Sparks 16 out of 47
2021Sylvia Fowles CenterMinnesota Lynx 31 out of 49
2022A'ja WilsonForwardLas Vegas Aces20 out of 56
2023A'ja Wilson ForwardLas Vegas Aces 32 out of 60
2024Napheesa CollierForwardMinnesota Lynx 36 out of 60
2025Alanna SmithForwardMinnesota Lynx 29 out of 72
2025A'ja Wilson CenterLas Vegas Aces 29 out of 72

Multi-time winners