It looks like even Sheryl Swoopes, A’ja Wilson’s forever fan, couldn’t deny the undeniable this time around. She had to acknowledge the standout quality that helped Napheesa Collier snag the Defensive Player of the Year award this season, leaving A’ja in the runner-up spot. What was that one thing that gave an edge to the 28-year-old?

Well, Swoopes believes it was her ability to switch and defend multiple positions. During her podcast ‘Queens of the Court’, she said, “She is absolutely very deserving.” According to her, when we look at the overall package, A’ja had better stats individually, but from a team standpoint, like Minnesota on the defensive end, they just click on all cylinders. 

“And Napheesa’s ability to switch and defend multiple positions, I think, is what gave her the edge over A’ja for Defensive Player of the Year,” she adds. And we totally see it. She displayed her versatility by effectively guarding players from point guards to centers. Even in a crucial game against the Las Vegas Aces, she held the 2024 MVP to just 12 points while also matching up against their quicker guards.

Talking about Wilson, she trailed closely behind Collier with 26 votes, while DPOY snagged 36 votes from a national panel of 67 media members. After winning the title she said, “We take a lot of pride in our defense. It’s something I’ve worked hard to improve because I know it’s what’s best for the team.” 

“I think it’s just having that overall aggression on both sides of the ball. We always say defense leads the offense because it lets you get in transition.” And she definitely walked the walk this season, leading the Lynx to a 30-10 record under the guidance of coach Cheryl Reeve. Although the stats don’t say it all, some still believe Wilson deserved it. 

Napheesa Collier: The defensive dynamo of the season

While everyone, including Sheryl Swoopes, is in all praise of the Lynx’s power forward, Aces coach Becky Hammon thinks the title belonged to her center, Wilson. “If you have to go down a rabbit hole of analytics to put somebody in the same conversation, I think you already have the answer to your question,” she said in a press conference. But we can’t deny that the 4× WNBA All-Star was truly stellar on the defensive end. 

Throughout the 2024 season, she averaged a stellar 1.91 steals per game, second in the WNBA, and recorded 9.7 rebounds per game, which placed her third overall. The Lynx finished the season with the second-best defensive rating in the league, and a significant part of that was thanks to Napheesa’s defensive contributions. During the playoff series against the Phoenix Mercury, she helped her team hold their opponents to just 75.6 points per game, the fewest in the league.

And then there was a game against the Seattle Storm where she had an impressive three steals and ten rebounds. Along with that, the numbers point out that she held opponents to a mere 36.2% shooting when she was the closest defender. When we compare her to Wilson, it’s interesting to note that Wilson led the league in blocks, 2.6 per game, and had a fantastic defensive rating as well. 

However, the Lynx star’s defense clicked at the right time in the right place. But let’s not forget that she isn’t just a defensive specialist; she’s a well-rounded player. She wrapped the season with an average of 15.5 points per game. Now, as Naphessa Collier and Co. gear up to face the New York Liberty in the Finals, can her exceptional defense stop the Liberty’s offense?