WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winners
Defensive Player of the Year
| Per Game | Shooting | Advanced | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Voting | Tm | G | MP | PTS | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | FG% | 3P% | FT% | WS | WS/48 |
| 2024 | Napheesa Collier | (V) | MIN | 34 | 34.7 | 20.4 | 9.7 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 1.4 | .492 | .310 | .804 | 7.4 | .300 |
| 2023 | A'ja Wilson | (V) | LVA | 40 | 30.7 | 22.8 | 9.5 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 2.2 | .557 | .310 | .812 | 10.4 | .405 |
| 2022 | A'ja Wilson | (V) | LVA | 36 | 30.0 | 19.5 | 9.4 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | .501 | .373 | .813 | 6.5 | .289 |
| 2021 | Sylvia Fowles | (V) | MIN | 31 | 30.1 | 16.0 | 10.1 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.8 | .640 | .755 | 6.0 | .309 | |
| 2020 | Candace Parker | (V) | LAS | 22 | 30.2 | 14.7 | 9.7 | 4.6 | 1.2 | 1.2 | .510 | .396 | .731 | 3.2 | .235 |
| 2019 | Natasha Howard | (V) | SEA | 34 | 31.4 | 18.1 | 8.2 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.7 | .439 | .308 | .810 | 4.6 | .207 |
| 2018 | Alana Beard | (V) | LAS | 30 | 25.5 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.2 | .392 | .400 | .810 | 1.5 | .094 |
| 2017 | Alana Beard | (V) | LAS | 34 | 30.8 | 6.9 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 0.5 | .497 | .316 | .804 | 3.3 | .152 |
| 2016 | Sylvia Fowles | (V) | MIN | 34 | 28.5 | 13.9 | 8.5 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.8 | .595 | .717 | 6.3 | .311 | |
| 2015 | Brittney Griner | (V) | PHO | 26 | 30.7 | 15.1 | 8.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 4.0 | .565 | .773 | 4.8 | .291 | |
| 2014 | Brittney Griner | (V) | PHO | 34 | 30.7 | 15.6 | 8.0 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 3.8 | .578 | .802 | 6.8 | .311 | |
| 2013 | Sylvia Fowles | (V) | CHI | 32 | 31.3 | 16.3 | 11.5 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 2.4 | .586 | .685 | 7.2 | .346 | |
| 2012 | Tamika Catchings | (V) | IND | 34 | 30.5 | 17.4 | 7.6 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 0.9 | .432 | .379 | .864 | 7.8 | .361 |
| 2011 | Sylvia Fowles | (V) | CHI | 34 | 34.6 | 20.0 | 10.2 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 2.0 | .591 | .766 | 7.4 | .303 | |
| 2010 | Tamika Catchings | (V) | IND | 34 | 31.4 | 18.2 | 7.1 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 0.9 | .484 | .448 | .849 | 7.9 | .355 |
| 2009 | Tamika Catchings | (V) | IND | 34 | 31.9 | 15.1 | 7.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 0.5 | .386 | .328 | .873 | 6.1 | .270 |
| 2008 | Lisa Leslie | (V) | LAS | 33 | 32.1 | 15.1 | 8.9 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 2.9 | .463 | .235 | .661 | 4.2 | .188 |
| 2007 | Lauren Jackson | (V) | SEA | 31 | 32.9 | 23.8 | 9.7 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 2.0 | .519 | .402 | .883 | 9.5 | .448 |
| 2006 | Tamika Catchings | (V) | IND | 32 | 33.5 | 16.3 | 7.5 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | .407 | .299 | .809 | 7.7 | .345 |
| 2005 | Tamika Catchings | (V) | IND | 34 | 34.5 | 14.7 | 7.8 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 0.5 | .383 | .285 | .788 | 7.1 | .289 |
| 2004 | Lisa Leslie | (V) | LAS | 34 | 33.8 | 17.6 | 9.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 2.9 | .494 | .273 | .712 | 6.8 | .283 |
| 2003 | Sheryl Swoopes | (V) | HOU | 31 | 35.0 | 15.6 | 4.6 | 3.9 | 2.5 | 0.8 | .403 | .304 | .887 | 5.3 | .234 |
| 2002 | Sheryl Swoopes | (V) | HOU | 32 | 36.1 | 18.5 | 4.9 | 3.3 | 2.8 | 0.7 | .434 | .288 | .825 | 7.1 | .296 |
| 2001 | Debbie Black | (V) | MIA | 32 | 29.6 | 5.6 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 0.1 | .374 | .150 | .771 | 3.4 | .172 |
| 2000 | Sheryl Swoopes | (V) | HOU | 31 | 35.2 | 20.7 | 6.3 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 1.1 | .506 | .374 | .821 | 9.8 | .433 |
| 1999 | Yolanda Griffith | (V) | SAC | 29 | 33.8 | 18.8 | 11.3 | 1.6 | 2.5 | 1.9 | .541 | .000 | .617 | 8.1 | .397 |
| 1998 | Teresa Weatherspoon | (V) | NYL | 30 | 33.4 | 6.8 | 4.0 | 6.4 | 3.3 | 0.0 | .388 | .327 | .609 | 3.0 | .142 |
| 1997 | Teresa Weatherspoon | (V) | NYL | 28 | 33.0 | 7.0 | 4.1 | 6.2 | 3.0 | 0.1 | .467 | .086 | .650 | 3.5 | .179 |
We're Social...for Statheads
Every Sports Reference Social Media Account
Site Last Updated: Saturday, December 21, 7:57PM
Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction?
Subscribe to our Free Email Newsletter
Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE
Your All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database
Do you have a sports website? Or write about sports? We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. Find out more.