Image Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Lynx’s Alanna Smith and Aces’ A’ja Wilson Named 2025 WNBA Co-Defensive Players of the Year

Wilson became the fourth player in the history of the league to win at least three DPOY Awards.

Image Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images

History was scripted on Thursday, when the end of the year WNBA awards were shared for the first time in the league’s history. The Minnesota Lynx power forward Alanna Smith and the Las Vegas Aces’ great A’ja Wilson were named 2025 WNBA Kia Co-Defensive Players of the Year. This is the first DPOY Award of Smith’s career and third for Wilson. The South Carolina women’s basketball legend won the award for two different seasons in 2022 and 2023.

Double the dominance 👑

Alanna Smith of the @minnesotalynx and A’ja Wilson of the @lvaces are your 2025 WNBA @Kia Co-Defensive Players of the Year!

This marks the first DPOY honor of Smith’s career and the third for Wilson. This is also the first time two players have won the… pic.twitter.com/UqpgbG6t1F
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 18, 2025

With this, she became the fourth player in the history of the league to win at least three DPOY Awards. She has joined an elite group of players including Sheryl Swoopes, Sylvia Fowles and Tamika Catchings, a five-time DPOY winner. The 29-year-old has also become the 2nd player in WNBA/NBA history with 3 MVPs & 3 DPOYs after Sheryl Swoopes. Both Smith and Wilson tallied the exact same amount of points among voters, 29.

The other players in the contention, including Gabby Williams, Alyssa Thomas, and Napheesa Collier ended up with nine, three, and two votes, respectively. With Smith’s award, the Lynx are now the first team that had different players win DPOY in back-to-back seasons. In 2024, Napheesa Collier bagged the title.

A Look at Smith and Wilson’s Power-Packed Stats for 2025 WNBA Season

Alanna Smith, who is in her seventh WNBA season, made it to the 2024 All-Defensive second-team selection. In 2025, she helped her team to a league-best 97.5 defensive rating, while finishing second overall in combined steals and blocks at 135. She also ranked third in blocks per game (1.9) and total blocks (80), while tying for 10th in total steals at 55.

Wilson, on the other hand, led the league across multiple statistical categories including blocks per game (2.3), total rebounds (407), defensive rebounds (316), and combined steals and blocks (156). She also ranked second in total blocks (92) and rebounds per game (10.2). In addition to leading the league in defensive rating and win shares, Wilson ranked third in total steals (64) and fourth in steals per game (1.6).

The standard. The stopper. The show. 🌟

A’ja Wilson secures her third WNBA @Kia Defensive Player of the Year after another dominant season for the @lvaces!

📊 Led W in BPG (2.3) & total rebounds (407)
📊 156 steals + blocks (1st in WNBA)
📊 64 steals (3rd)#KiaDPOY |… pic.twitter.com/tpIWJZrUjP
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 18, 2025

The eight-year veteran is also leading the league in total points (937), ppg (23.4), field-goals made (332), and made free throws (248). Owing to Wilson’s another historic season, the Aces won 16 straight regular season games and finished second in the standings.

A’ja Wilson

Alanna Smith

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.