The Defensive Player of the Year conversation is arguably the closest race of all the awards in the WNBA this season (with all due respect to the Rookie of the Year race).

There are several worthy candidates for this award, but which players have the strongest case? As we approach the Olympic break, here are some of the leading candidates and their DPOY cases:

Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)

The Minnesota Lynx have the best defensive rating in the league and a relative efficiency on that end that rivals some of the best in WNBA history. According to pbpstats, the Minnesota Lynx currently have the best relative defensive rating (rDRTG) of all time, clocking in at -10.0, which is an entire point ahead of the 2002 Houston Comets, who are second with a -9.0 rDRTG.

Simply put, the Lynx defense is historically good. We can’t talk about this defense without mentioning the role Napheesa Collier has played as a perimeter defender and helpside defender. Collier is usually tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best forward and is typically on the perimeter more than most power forwards. Whether she’s blowing up dribble hand-offs or switching onto guards, Collier is responsible for covering the most ground defense of anyone on Minnesota’s roster.

Of course, Collier also is no slouch as a helpside rim protector either. She may not be the shot blocker that her teammate Alanna Smith is, but she’s still very good in that regard.

Synergy has Collier rated as a great spot-up defender and good post-up defender, but only average in the other aspects. However, I think this really undersells her ability on that end. Tracking data can be very wonky, and Collier being asked to cover the most ground of any player on, statistically, the best defense in WNBA history is certainly strong and deserving evidence for why she should be DPOY.

I’ve detailed more of her exceptional defense in a YouTube video linked below:

Alanna Smith (Minnesota Lynx)

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Yes, the Minnesota Lynx deserve to have two candidates for this award. No, it is not an exaggeration.

After coming over from the Chicago Sky where she played last season, Alanna Smith has emerged as one of the most crucial pieces of this elite Minnesota defense. Last season, the Lynx had a bottom-three defense in the league, despite having a very similar core. And even though Smith wasn’t the only addition the Lynx made this offseason, she’s arguably been the most important.

Of the four candidates for this award, Smith has really impressed me with her post defense, which holds massive value when you consider she is relatively undersized at that position. I was not expecting Smith to hold her own as well as she has against frontcourt players like the New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun’s Brionna Jones and Dallas Wings’ Tierra McCowan, but she’s done just that.

In addition, Smith has been a very good rim protector for this Minnesota defense and she’s extremely disciplined on her contests. But, the last aspect of Smith’s game that might be the strongest is her helpside rim protection. I think Smith has the best off-ball awareness of the four candidates in this race, and her quick cognitive ability allows for her to process actions happening behind her and to react in time to make spectacular defensive plays that save layups.

Now, Minnesota is not an elite defense because of one person. They have some very strong point-of-attack defenders in Kayla McBride and solid ones like Courtney Williams and Bridget Carleton. But historically, the main drivers of elite defenses have been rim protectors, and that role has almost exclusively been assigned to Smith this season, and she has excelled.

Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)

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Of the four leading candidates, Stewart’s team has the worst defensive rating. However, this stat overlooks a lot of context.

The New York Liberty have multiple defensive liabilities in their starting lineup, two being Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot. And in this era of matchup hunting on offense, it makes it infinitely harder to produce good defensive results when there are multiple negative defenders on the floor.

This is where Stewart’s DPOY case manifests itself. Not only has New York produced a top-four defense this season, but they’ve done so despite the holes on defense. that Stewart has been responsible for clogging up. Head coach Sandy Brondello incorporates a lot of scram switches and rotation switches, both of which require Stewart to be on guard for potential defensive mismatches that involve Ionescu and Vandersloot, requiring her to switch in the middle of a play.

You can see this clearly in the film as well. Watch how on this play, Stewart recognizes Vandersloot is matched up with Tina Charles in transition, so she switches with her before the Atlanta Dream can get into their action, and Stewie defends the post-up well.

Away from the ball, Stewart has also been tasked with doubling and making lightning-quick rotations to protect the Liberty guards. Stewart has an insane wingspan that makes this possible, blowing up entry passes that would’ve been layups and making sideline-to-sideline rotations as part of New York’s help-and-recover scheme.

In my opinion, Breanna Stewart has the hardest job of the four candidates. Being able to anchor a top-four defense while covering up serious defensive liabilities in Ionescu and Vandersloot is something the other candidates are not tasked with as they have better defensive guards. Stewart is the key to a switchable, mobile, help-and-recover scheme and her quickness, length and IQ allows for her to amplify any defensive scheme that exists, regardless of the supporting cast.

Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm)

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Ezi Magbegor is one of the most intimidating shot blockers I’ve seen in the WNBA in a long time. She’s tied for first in blocks in the entire WNBA and her wingspan and height makes it to where shooters have to angle their shots much higher off the glass to even get a clean look.

Her Synergy metrics are extremely strong across the board. She isn’t really tasked with guarding pick-and-roll as much as the other three candidates on this list, but part of that is scheme. The Seattle Storm have been very intentional with keeping her close to the basket as possible, and with an elite frontcourt teammate like Nneka Ogwumike sharing the court with her, it makes Seattle so difficult to score on.

Seattle has a top-three defense in the league right now and most impact metrics have Magbegor in the top three on the defensive end. Now, these stats are too small of a sample to be used as an argument for this season, which is why I think a compelling metric is how she’s looked in previous seasons. Seattle’s defense has been four points better on defense in the last three combined seasons with Magbegor on the floor versus when she’s off the floor. This is almost a 3,000 to 1,500 minute sample that is compelling enough to make me believe the impact metrics we are seeing this season aren’t an overreaction.

However, I think the stat that really highlights her rim protection value is this: Teams are shooting 11 percent worse at the rim with Ezi Magbegor on the floor this season. Going from 70 percent to 59 percent is the difference between Seattle being the worst team in the league in this metric to being the third best. That is the definition of DPOY-level impact.

Defense wins championships. It’s an adage as old as time, but it’s a saying for a reason: it’s true.

When the game reaches its highest levels and things tighten up, excellent defense that suffocates your opponent and prevents them from their usual production likely will be the difference between winning or losing. This also holds true in the regular season, as the list of the best teams in terms of defensive rating and the order of the WNBA standings looks nearly identical.

In the last two seasons, the Las Vegas Aces have been the best team in the W. Their best player, A’Ja Wilson, was named the Defensive Player of the Year for both years. She still has that dominant defense, but other candidates are making a case for the award in 2024. Here are the top DPOY candidates at the halfway mark of the season:

A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)

Sure, there may be voter fatigue, but if you watch her play, she’s the best defender on the floor every night.

A’ja Wilson leads the league in total blocks with 57, but it’s not just her rejections that stand out; it’s her tenacity. She plays with power and can defend in the post against even the strongest bigs in the league. You’ll have to search for hours to find tape of a player backing her down and creating space for a good look at the basket. Wilson also is versatile enough to hang out around the perimeter and keep up with the fastest guards in the league. She’s not a liability, even when the opposing offense might force the Aces to switch. Every drive to the paint becomes a game of “find Wilson,” with the goal being to avoid a face-to-face confrontation with her at the rim.

When you add up the tangibles and intangibles, the only logical conclusion is that Wilson will be the DPOY in 2024, just like she was in ‘22 and ‘23.

Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)

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Napheesa Collier has improved in every way this year, and given her elite level, the Lynx have a legitimate shot at the title. While she’s known for her ability force to overwhelm opponents on the offensive end, she’s right there as well defensively.

Collier is registering 2.2 steals per game, the third-best average in the WNBA, and 1.5 rejections, the ninth-best average in the league.

Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)

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This Liberty team could win it all and Breanna Stewart is a big reason why.

She’s continuously improved on the defensive end, averaging 7.4 defensive rebounds per game and, when she is on the court, New York has a 95.5 defensive rating. With her taking on so many of the defensive assignments on the wing and crashing the boards at such a high level, she’s making a case as the best defender in the league.

️ 3x All-Star now!

Congrats to @dearicamarie on being named to the 2024 @WNBA All-Star Team! https://t.co/2Nh0x3RMAs pic.twitter.com/VXsmyx2WsP

— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) July 3, 2024

Aari McDonald, McMarvelous defense again on Caitlin Clark. #WNBA

Marvelous two-way display from her. pic.twitter.com/B36g5xThMJ

— The Whole Delivery (@TWDTV1) May 29, 2024

Li Yueru (6/18/24) pic.twitter.com/sb2w2GATiC

— @balapattyszn (@balapattyvids) June 19, 2024

Congratulations are in order

Dearica Hamby notches her 3000th career point with a layup against the Lynx

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— WNBA (@WNBA) July 10, 2024

Of the WNBA’s annual regular-season awards, the Most Improved Player award is the wild card. The term “improvement” can be interpreted differently by each individual award voter, and there’s rarely one player who stands head and shoulders above the rest; year-by-year player improvement isn’t always blindingly obvious, and there are external factors to be considered as well, such as changes to that player’s role or surrounding roster.

That ambiguity is also what makes the Most Improved Player award fun to talk about; you could ask ten different people and get ten different answers as to which WNBA player deserves to win. With that in mind, let’s take a look at a few players who have taken a noticeable jump in 2024.

DiJonai Carrington (Connecticut Sun)

If Most Improved was voted on today, Carrington perhaps would be the most popular choice for the award. Drafted by the Sun in 2021, she’s gradually improved in every season since then, though her breakout in 2024 definitely has been the most noticeable. In Carrington’s first season as a full-time starter, she’s averaging career-highs across the board (13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game), and the strengths that previously made her such a valuable piece off Connecticut’s bench are now on full display. Carrington routinely takes on the challenge of guarding the best perimeter scorer on opposing teams, and her level of energy on the boards and aggression attacking the hoop have become crucial parts of the Sun’s identity as one of the WNBA’s most physical teams.

Chennedy Carter (Chicago Sky)

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Carter didn’t play in the WNBA in 2023, though it certainly wasn’t for a lack of talent. It’s extremely rare to find a lead guard with Carter’s strength and athleticism, and there may not be a more difficult player in the league to contain off the dribble. In her first season in Chicago, Carter has proven herself to be a game-changer, averaging 16.5 points per game (21.9 as a starter) while shooting 53.1 percent from the field, which leads the WNBA among guards who have attempted at least 100 total field goals. One could definitely argue that Carter has always been this good and that her performance can be attributed to opportunity more than improvement, but her comeback is going to be something voters will want to reward in one way or another.

Jordan Horston (Seattle Storm)

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Should second-year players be eligible to win Most Improved? Some believe that sophomores in the WNBA are expected to get better and thus should not be considered for the award, but it’s not a steadfast rule, and Horston’s second-year leap is definitely worthy of mention. She doesn’t have as much freedom on offense after Seattle’s big offseason vaulted the team back into win-now mode, but she’s become considerably more efficient with her scoring, shooting 54.6 percent from 2-point range after struggling inside the arc as a rookie. Horston has also embraced a role as the Storm’s perimeter stopper, doing the dirty work on defense for the team’s stars with her athleticism and turning that defense into offense at an exceptional rate; she currently ranks third in the WNBA in steal rate at 3.4 percent, according to Basketball Reference.

Alanna Smith (Minnesota Lynx)

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Smith was a good candidate to win Most Improved last season, finishing third in voting behind Satou Sabally and Jordin Canada, and she’s taken another jump in 2024. Much of what made Smith such a valuable player for Chicago in 2023—defensive playmaking in the frontcourt, in particular—has stayed the same during her first season with the Lynx, but she’s having a better season shooting the basketball, knocking down a career-high 45.6 percent of her 3-pointers (3.2 attempts per game). She’s also shown improved tertiary playmaking skills as one of four Lynx to be averaging at least three assists per game. Minnesota’s offense depends heavily on ball movement and 3-point shooting, and if Smith continues her career year in those categories, the Lynx will be a tough team to stop as the season progresses.

You need a good bench to win in the WNBA. Having a certified player come in and make an impact can make all the difference.

As we approach the halfway point of the season, here are three serious candidates for the Sixth Player of the Year award. Two players are members of teams vying for playoff spots, and the other has been so good that she is the exception to the rule that you have to be on a winning team to be considered for such an award.

Myisha Hines-Allen (Washington Mystics)

Rules were made to be broken, and the Washington Mystics’ Myisha Hines-Allen is a rule breaker. Her versatile scoring ability as a forward is what every team wants on their roster. She’s big and strong enough to attack the paint and athletic enough to run point-forward and make plays.

In her first season coming off the bench full time, she’s averaging 8.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. She’s also shooting her best percentage from deep at 43 percent.

The biggest blemish on her resume is her team’s 5-17 record. While her play hasn’t resulted in many wins, it’s hard to find another player producing more than Hines-Allen while coming off the bench. That’s why she’s currently the best reserve in the WNBA.

Temi Fagbenle (Indiana Fever)

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Caitlin Clark may be the talk of the town in Indiana, but Temi Fagbenle has been superb. She’s embracing her role of coming off the bench and providing top minutes for the Fever.

She’s only played in 11 games, having dealt with a foot injury and now a thumb injury. But, she’s averaging 8.5 points and 5.5 rebounds and is expected to return soon. If Fagbenle can play more in the second half of the season, she very well may win this award and help the Fever reach the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Kayla Thorton (New York Liberty)

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Kayla Thornton is playing important minutes for a championship contender. The forward is playing the most reserve minutes for the New York Liberty, registering 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

Her minutes are crucial in keeping the offense flowing, helping to ensure that, when the stars catch a breather, the team’s production doesn’t fall off a cliff. One of the reasons she’s been so effective is that her 3-point shooting continues to improve. Thornton is shooting a career-high 37 percent from deep, and her coming off the bench and catching fire from beyond the arc give the Liberty one too many weapons for teams to overcome.

If Thornton continues to produce at this level the rest of the way, the Liberty will be tough to beat come playoff time.