WNBA All-Defensive Team

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The WNBA All-Defensive Team is an annual Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) honor given since the 2005 WNBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the WNBA head coaches. who are not allowed to vote for players on their own team. The All-Defensive Team is composed of two five-woman lineups, a first and a second team, comprising a total of 10 roster spots. The players each receive two points for each first team vote and one point for each second team vote. The top five players with the highest point total make the first team, with the next five making the second team. Starting with the 2023 season, players are selected without regard to position; this follows the WNBA having adopted a "positionless" format for the All-WNBA Team in 2022. [1] Before 2023, each team consisted of one center, two forwards, and two guards. During that time, if there was already a center on the first team, but another center received more points than two of the guards on the first team, that center would still be on the second team.

Contents

Tamika Catchings has the record for the most total selections with 11. Catchings has 10 first team selections and 1 second team selection.

In 2020, Defensive Player of the Year Candace Parker, was not selected to either of the WNBA All-Defensive Teams. This was the first time in the history of the award that the Defensive Player of the Year was not selected to an All-Defensive Team in either the WNBA or NBA. It reflects a difference in voters: The WNBA's defensive player of the year is voted on by media, while the all-defensive teams are voted on by the league's coaches. [2]

Winners

Player (X)Denotes the number of times the player has been selected
Player
(in bold text)
Indicates the player who won the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in the same year [a]

2005 to present

SeasonFirst teamSecond team
PlayerNationalityTeamPlayerNationalityTeam
2005 Tamika Catchings Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Lauren Jackson Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm
Sheryl Swoopes Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Houston Comets Taj McWilliams-Franklin Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Yolanda Griffith Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Sacramento Monarchs Lisa Leslie Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Tully Bevilaqua Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Indiana Fever Alana Beard Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Katie Douglas Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Deanna Nolan Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock
2006 Tamika Catchings (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Alana Beard (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Lisa Leslie (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Margo Dydek Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Connecticut Sun
Sheryl Swoopes (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Houston Comets Deanna Nolan (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock
Tully Bevilaqua (2)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Indiana Fever Cheryl Ford Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock
Katie Douglas (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Yolanda Griffith (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Sacramento Monarchs
2007 Tamika Catchings (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Tully Bevilaqua (3)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Indiana Fever
Lauren Jackson (2)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm Rebekkah Brunson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Sacramento Monarchs
Katie Douglas (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Margo Dydek (2)Flag of Poland.svg  Poland Connecticut Sun
Alana Beard (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics Loree Moore Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty
Deanna Nolan (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock Chelsea Newton Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Sacramento Monarchs
2008 Lisa Leslie (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Sylvia Fowles Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky
Tamika Catchings (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Lauren Jackson (3)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm
Sophia Young Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg St. Vincent San Antonio Silver Stars Rebekkah Brunson (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Sacramento Monarchs
Ticha Penicheiro Flag of Portugal.svg  Portugal Sacramento Monarchs Deanna Nolan (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock
Tully Bevilaqua (4)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Indiana Fever Katie Smith Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock
2009 Tamika Catchings (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Lisa Leslie (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Lauren Jackson (4)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm Sancho Lyttle Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg St. Vincent Atlanta Dream
Nicky Anosike Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Angel McCoughtry Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream
Tanisha Wright Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Deanna Nolan (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Detroit Shock
Tully Bevilaqua (5)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Indiana Fever Candace Parker Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Alana Beard (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
2010 Tamika Catchings (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Lauren Jackson (5)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm
Angel McCoughtry (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Rebekkah Brunson (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Sylvia Fowles (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky Sancho Lyttle (2)Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Atlanta Dream
Tanisha Wright (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Lindsey Harding Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Cappie Pondexter Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty Tully Bevilaqua (6)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Indiana Fever
Katie Douglas (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever
2011 Tamika Catchings (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Sancho Lyttle (3)Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Atlanta Dream
Rebekkah Brunson (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Swin Cash Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm
Sylvia Fowles (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky Tina Charles Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Tanisha Wright (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Armintie Price Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream
Angel McCoughtry (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Katie Douglas (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever
2012 Tamika Catchings (8)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Sophia Young (2) Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.svg St. Vincent San Antonio Silver Stars
Sancho Lyttle (4)Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Atlanta Dream Candace Parker (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Sylvia Fowles (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky Tina Charles (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Alana Beard (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Armintie Price (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream
Briann January Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Danielle Robinson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States San Antonio Silver Stars
2013 Sylvia Fowles (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky Rebekkah Brunson (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Tamika Catchings (9)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Glory Johnson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Tulsa Shock
Angel McCoughtry (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Érika de Souza Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil Atlanta Dream
Armintie Price (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Briann January (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever
Tanisha Wright (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Jia Perkins Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States San Antonio Silver Stars
Danielle Robinson (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States San Antonio Silver Stars
2014 [3] Sancho Lyttle (5)Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Atlanta Dream Tamika Catchings (10)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever
Angel McCoughtry (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Maya Moore Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Brittney Griner Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury Sylvia Fowles (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky
Tanisha Wright (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Alana Beard (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Briann January (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Danielle Robinson (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States San Antonio Stars
2015 Tamika Catchings (11)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Tina Charles (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty
Nneka Ogwumike Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Sancho Lyttle (6)Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Atlanta Dream
Brittney Griner (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury Kiah Stokes Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty
Angel McCoughtry (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream DeWanna Bonner Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury
Briann January (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Tanisha Wright (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty
2016 Alana Beard (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Brittney Griner (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury
Angel McCoughtry (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Tamika Catchings (12)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever
Nneka Ogwumike (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Breanna Stewart Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm
Sylvia Fowles (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Tanisha Wright (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty
Briann January (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever Jasmine Thomas Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
2017 Alana Beard (8)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Brittney Griner (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury
Tina Charles (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty Rebekkah Brunson (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Nneka Ogwumike (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Maya Moore (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Sylvia Fowles (8)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Briann January (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Indiana Fever
Jasmine Thomas (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Alyssa Thomas Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
2018 Alana Beard (9)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Sylvia Fowles (9)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Brittney Griner (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury Rebekkah Brunson (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Natasha Howard Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Nneka Ogwumike (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Jessica Breland Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Ariel Atkins Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Jasmine Thomas (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Tiffany Hayes Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream
2019 [4] Natasha Howard (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Brittney Griner (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury
Jonquel Jones Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas Connecticut Sun Ariel Atkins (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Jasmine Thomas (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Alysha Clark Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm
Nneka Ogwumike (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Alyssa Thomas (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Jordin Canada Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Natasha Cloud Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
2020 [2] Alysha Clark (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Breanna Stewart (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm
Betnijah Laney Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream Napheesa Collier Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Brianna Turner Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury Ariel Atkins (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Alyssa Thomas (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Brittney Sykes Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Elizabeth Williams Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Atlanta Dream A'ja Wilson Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Las Vegas Aces
2021 [5] Brittney Sykes (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Jasmine Thomas (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Briann January (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Ariel Atkins (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics
Jonquel Jones (2)Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas /
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Connecticut Sun Breanna Stewart (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm
Brianna Turner (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury Brionna Jones Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Sylvia Fowles (10)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Brittney Griner (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury
2022 [6] [7] Natasha Cloud (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics Brittney Sykes (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Ariel Atkins (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics Gabby Williams Flag of France.svg  France Seattle Storm
A'ja Wilson (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Las Vegas Aces Alyssa Thomas (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
Breanna Stewart (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm Jonquel Jones (3)Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas /
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
Connecticut Sun
Sylvia Fowles (11)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Ezi Magbegor Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm
2023 [8] [9] A'ja Wilson (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Las Vegas Aces Betnijah Laney (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty
Alyssa Thomas (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Ezi Magbegor (2)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm
Brittney Sykes (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Washington Mystics Nneka Ogwumike (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks
Breanna Stewart (5)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty Napheesa Collier (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx
Jordin Canada (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Los Angeles Sparks Elizabeth Williams (2)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Chicago Sky
2024 [10] [11] Napheesa Collier (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Minnesota Lynx Alyssa Thomas (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun
A'ja Wilson (4)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Las Vegas Aces Alanna Smith Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Minnesota Lynx
Ezi Magbegor (3)Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Seattle Storm Nneka Ogwumike (7)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Seattle Storm
DiJonai Carrington Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Connecticut Sun Jonquel Jones (4)Flag of the Bahamas.svg  Bahamas /
Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina.svg  Bosnia and Herzegovina
New York Liberty
Breanna Stewart (6)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States New York Liberty Natasha Cloud (3)Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Phoenix Mercury

References

  1. "WNBA Unveils End-of-Season Awards Schedule and Announces New Process for Selecting All-Defensive Teams" (Press release). WNBA. August 30, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Voepel, Mechelle (2020-09-29). "Storm's Clark tops WNBA all-defensive 1st team". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  3. "Atlanta Dream's Sancho Lyttle and Angel McCoughtry Named to WNBA All-Defensive First Team". Our Sports Central. August 22, 2014. Retrieved June 2, 2025.
  4. "WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Natasha Howard Highlights 2019 WNBA All-Defensive First Team". wnba.com. WNBA. September 11, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  5. Voepel, Mechelle (September 26, 2021). "Minnesota Lynx star Sylvia Fowles named WNBA Defensive Player of Year for 4th time in career". ESPN. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
  6. @WNBA (August 30, 2022). "Your 2022 #WNBA All-Defensive First Team ⬇️ @_ajawilson22 @T_Cloud4 @SylviaFowles @breannastewart @arielatkinssvn #MoreThan" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  7. @WNBA (August 30, 2022). "Your 2022 #WNBA All-Defensive Second Team ⬇️ @athomas_25 @ezimagbegor @jus242 @BrittBundlez @gabbywilliams15 #MoreThan" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  8. @WNBA (September 22, 2023). "Your 2023 WNBA All-Defensive First Team ⬇️ @_ajawilson22 @athomas_25 @BrittBundlez @breannastewart @jordin_canada #MoreThanGame" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  9. @WNBA (September 22, 2023). "Your 2023 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team ⬇️ @BetnijahLaney @ezimagbegor @nnekaogwumike @PHEEsespieces @E_Williams_1 #MoreThanGame" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  10. Maloney, Jack (September 29, 2024). "WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: Lynx's Napheesa Collier edges Aces star A'ja Wilson for first honor". CBS Sports. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  11. @WNBA (September 29, 2024). "Announcing the 2024 WNBA All-Defensive Teams" (Tweet) via Twitter.