Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson is the 2022 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson is the 2022 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. This is the first Defensive Player of the Year Award for Wilson. The fifth-year Las Vegas star is the first Aces player in franchise history to earn the honor.

Wilson led the league in blocks (1.9 bpg), ranked second in defensive rebounds per game (career-high 7.6), and was 12th in steals (1.4 spg). She also pulled down at least 10 defensive rebounds in a game nine times.

This season the Aces were first in the WNBA in defensive rebounds per game (28.4) and defensive rebound percentage (74.5), fifth in steals (7.7 spg, and held opponents to 31.8 points per game in the paint, the third-fewest in the league.

The league also announced the 2022 All-Defensive First and Second Teams.

All-Defensive First Team
A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)
Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm)
Sylvia Fowles (Minnesota Lynx)
Natasha Cloud (Washington Mystics)
Ariel Atkins (Washington Mystics)

All-Defensive Second Team
Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun)
Jonquel Jones (Connecticut Sun)
Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm)
Brittney Sykes (Los Angeles Sparks)
Gabby Williams (Seattle Storm)