nba defensive player of the year list 2022 nba defensive player of the year list 2022

Defensive Player of the Year pick. 1982-83 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks. After a wild final day of the season, a clear picture of the playoffs and Play-In Tournament emerges while several players make the most of their opportunities. 1 record, Bridges is the guy assigned not just matched up by position to guard the other teams most prolific scorers. So much so that the league went out of its way to have the last guard to win the DPOY award ( Gary Payton Sr.) tell the award winner for the 2021-22 season ( Boston . The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982-83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. TNT will announce the winner of each award during its coverage of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. January 18, 2022 5:27 PM. The Memphis forward sustained the apparent lower leg injury in the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies' 113-97 loss in Denver on Friday. NEW YORK Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been named the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the NBA announced today. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. 10 pick in 2018. Payton and Smart are the only two point guards to have won. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA, its clubs or Turner Broadcasting. Nicolas Claxton +700. With his size, strength, and athleticism, Giannis can lock up almost every player in the league. He's been a stalwart for coach Jacque Vaughn, proving that all he needed to thrive and prove his worth was more playing time. The Memphis forward sustained the apparent lower leg injury in the 1st quarter of the Grizzlies' 113-97 loss in Denver on Friday. Voting results pic.twitter.com/dUxDi2L2oc, Nick Metallinos is digital content producer for NBA Australia. Jarrett Allen +4000 . TNT will announce the winner of each award during its coverage of the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. Utah wound up 10th in defensive rating, nine in opponents field-goal percentage and slid from the Wests best record last season to the fifth seed now. Fifteen players across the DI . He won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year . The good news is this is an injury he should be able to recover from in time for next season. [3] Rudy Gobert and Dwight Howard have won the award three times,[4] with Howard having won it in three consecutive seasons. while factoring in his teams diminished results. Unfortunately that lasted all of 11 games before he tore his left adductor muscle, which will require surgery that will sideline him for the rest of the season, the team announced. Which is why this is such a hard-luck story. For those voting, selecting the All-Defensive Teams this season was a hard choice. Born in 2001, he's 21 years old and looks to have an amazing future ahead of him as a defensive player. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Lopez's consistency on the defensive end is paying off, as he climbed the list this past week, threatening Jackson Jr. for the DPOY award. His shot was good, and the celebration was on. With Jackson on the court, the Grizzlies defensive rating is 109.8, a top-three mark. Rudy Gobert . Morrow was born and raised in Charlotte and was named North Carolinas Mr. Draymond Jamal Green Sr. (born March 4, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A year-by-year list of theKia Defensive Player of the Year Awardwinners: 2021-22 Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics (Voting), 2020-21 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting), 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Voting), 2018-19 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting), 2017-18 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting), 2016-17 Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (Voting), 2015-16 Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (Voting), 2014-15 Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs, 2011-12 Tyson Chandler, New York Knicks, 2000-01 Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76ers, 1995-96 Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics, 1994-95 Dikembe Mutombo, Denver Nuggets, 1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 1992-93 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets, 1991-92 David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs, 1986-87 Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers, 1985-86 Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs, 1983-84 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks, 1982-83 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks. Lopez also averages 6.5 rebounds, his most since the 2015-16 season. Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. 2004-05 Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons This is for you mama! The three finalists for each annual award, based on voting results from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, are listed in alphabetical order below. Anunoby on both ends of the floor is one of the main reasons that Toronto has not careened off the side of the proverbial highway without No. The Boston Celtics were one of the top defensive teams during the regular season this year and as a result, it makes sense that their best defender in Marcus Smart would be named this years recipient of the Defensive Player of the Year award. 43 in the lineup. Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace have each won the award a record four times. TNT will announce the winner of each award during its coverage of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Take a look back at every Kia NBA MVP award winner in league history. More . Atlanta plays its next two games at Miami, the first Saturday and the rematch Monday. On a Phoenix team that ranked third in defensive rating (106.8) and first in net rating (7.5), none of his teammates played more than 68 games. With a defensive score of 104.4, Evan Mobley is one of the best defensive players this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo. From playing to coaching to covering the game as a media member, Brett has been involved with the game of basketball from many different perspectives. Presenting your 2021-22 NBA Coach of the Year finalists: Taylor JenkinsErik SpoelstraMonty Williams #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/2sCGpbZvQP. Key storylines to follow as Clippers-Timberwolves tips off the Western Conference Play-In Tournament. A player is included in either the First or Second Team lineup, with each team consisting of two guards, two forwards and a center. There are a handful of players that you could have made a case for in the race for Defensive Player of the Year this season, as the results above reflect this. Photo By - USA TODAY Sports. Friday night in Miami.. 1987-88 Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan. Jaren Jackson Jr. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds. The Suns lockdown defender finishes the season on top of the Defensive Player Ladder. Each First Team vote is scored as two points, while each Second Team vote is worth only one point. 2017-18 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting) 80,533. The Blazers led 73-58 at the break with Lillard the 10th player since the 1996-97 season with 40-plus points in a half. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. In the fewer than a dozen games he got to play, Isaac started to show some of the elite defensive skills that had the Magic thinking he was a cornerstone player three years ago. 1998-99 Alonzo Mourning, Miami Heat The two leaders, Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert . [1][2] Starting in the 202223 NBA season, the winner of this award will receive the Hakeem Olajuwon trophy, named after the twotime defensive player of the year winner. Six players received at least five first-place votes the first time that has happened for a major individual award in nearly a decade. Gary . Hes smart and physical, capable of digging into opponents on the ball and creating chaos off the ball often on the same possession. Oh, and he hit a game-winner as the red-hot Knicks found a way again. The Grizzlies say their star guard will be away from the team for 'at least' the next 2 games. In 2022, Curry finally claimed his first Finals MVP award after winning his fourth championship in six games over the Boston Celtics. Cleveland's standout forward holds off Scottie Barnes and Cade Cunningham to lead an elite rookie class. Three different positions equate to three different roles, which is why Defensive Player of the Year will always have question marks surrounding it, especially since all of the finalists make All-Defensive First Team anyways. 1990-91 Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. Youve got to guard these matchups one-on-one.. The Warriors' veteran forward leads the first ranking of the top defenders in the NBA this season, but Myles Turner looms large. Antetokounmpos advanced defensive stats are essentially all in the top 10: Defensive rating, defensive win shares, you name it. Durant, a four-time scoring champion, now sets his sights on Hakeem Olajuwon in 12th place. Randle scored 43 points, the last of them on a go-ahead 3-pointer off a wildly broken play with 1.7 seconds left, and the Knicks extended their winning streak to eight games with a 122-120 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. 0 Comments. Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. The arrest took place on Feb. 10 his Morrows hometown of Charlotte, he was released two days later after posting $15,000 bail. He shares credit with Lopez for what the Bucks do on defense, but his career-best offensive season is rightfully getting more attention than his efforts on the other side of the ball. 2013-14 Joakim Noah, Chicago Bulls The most recent award recipient is Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics. He played his college ball at Georgia Tech, was undrafted but went on to spend nine seasons in the NBA playing for the Warriors, Nets, Hawks, Mavericks, Pelicans, Thunder and Bulls. Marcus Smart collected 37 of the total 100 real votes for Defensive Player of the Year this season and compiled 257 total points, compared to MIkal Bridges with 202 possible points in second-place. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. Share. 2 in the latest ranking as Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. also joins the group. The frontrunner for the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award is three-time winner Rudy Gobert. Sports. Tyler Herro had a steal and layup to put Miami up by one with 23.1 seconds remaining. His career began in 2021, meaning he is just at the start of his journey to . Prior to this year, Rudy Gobert was named DPOY in three of the last four . The Warriors' versatile forward holds the top spot in this month's ranking of the NBA's best defenders. Last 5 Playoff QBs for Each NFL Team. I think people take it for granted how tough it is to guard the top perimeter players in this league and not be able to really touch them because theyre going to get the foul call. Official release. Smart becomes the 1st guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1995-96 and only the 6th overall. Rudy Gobert becomes the fourth player to earn at least three Defensive Player of the Year honors. As far as stellar defenders such as Draymond Green and Bam Adebayo, they werent on the floor enough to justify a vote for this or any annual award. His hustle was contagious throughout the team. Bam Adebayo +700. Really blown away tbh Western Conference Finals MVP. This season, Smart averaged 12.1 points, a career-high 5.9 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 32.3 minutes per game. Full voting results pic.twitter.com/9WX2L25o4M, NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 18, 2022. The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 198283 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. pic.twitter.com/3xmhMluois. All Rights Reserved. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: Green still No. Smart gets the trophy, and nobody can take that from him. This year, Marcus Smart became the first guard to win Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton won the award in 1996. Lopez anchors Milwaukees stout defense, which is one of two units that rank ahead of the Grizzlies by defensive rating. The Pistons looked for a trade at the deadline but could notfind a deal to their liking and they waived him before the end of February. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Finalists announced for 2021-22 NBA awards, Defensive Player Ladder: Bridges finishes No. Still, his defensive resume has him well ahead of the field with -200 odds. Giannis Antetokounmpo +2500. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Looking at Smart though, he became the first guard to win the DPOY award since Gary Payton did so in 1996 and the actual voting for this award turned out to be pretty close. 2009-10 Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic The Jazz's Rudy Gobert, who has won three of the last five Defensive Player of the Year awards, was also a finalist again this year. Denver's big man narrowly edges Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo in what will likely end up as one of the closest MVP races in history. Justin Quinn. November 13: Giannis (+295) is now the 2023 NBA DPOY betting favorite with Gobert fading to +538. Over the last few weeks, the NBA awards have been a hot topic of discussion around the NBA world. 6 Brooklyn after the Nets erased a 28-point deficit to stun Boston, and saw their lead over No. The Suns' lockdown defender finishes the season on top of the Defensive Player Ladder. A year-by-year list of theKia Defensive Player of the Year Awardwinners: 2021-22 Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics (Voting) The big man from the Bucks is managing to stay atop the DPOY race. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. Milwaukee's star leads the way in the latest ranking of top defenders in the NBA, but could Draymond Green make up ground? 2000-01 Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76ers . If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. The spots in the lineups are voted on by a global group of 100 writers, broadcasters and media members who cover the NBA. WSOC-TV 9 in Charlotte had details from the arrest report and a denial of any wrongdoing by Morrows attorney. Eastern Conference Finals MVP. Bridges did it all without drawing cheap whistles he averaged only 1.8 fouls. That made Gobert who won Defensive Player of the Year three of the last four years an especially stale candidate (but still my pick). Gobert ranked second in the NBA for total blocks (137), fifth in block percentage (5.7%) and third in blocks per game (2.1). Hopefully we will see a healthy Isaac back in a Magic uniform when training camp opens next fall. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: JJJ leads the way, Defensive Player Ladder: Lopez becomes new No. F Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks, Honorable mentions: Dejounte Murray, Robert Williams III, Jarrett Allen, Draymond Green, Kyle Lowry. 1997-98 Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta Hawks Terms and conditions affecting the bonus offers available to you vary by location. Rookie of the Year. 2003-04 Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers MP - 20.1, RPG - 1.9, BPG - 1.1, SPG - 1.6, DWS - 2.6, DBPM - 4.2. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. Morrow reportedly had been in a relationship with the victim. 1983-84 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee Bucks Leonard (who repeated the next year) and Ron Artest (who won in 2004 then later changed his name to Metta Sandiford-Artest) are the only other non-bigs to win DPOY since Payton. Here are your 2021-22 #KiaDPOY finalists: Mikal BridgesRudy Gobert Marcus Smart #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/PJ2GX4QPYA, Darius Garland Ja Morant Dejounte Murray#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/8kSusX4Yqx, Scottie Barnes Cade CunninghamEvan Mobley #NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/gxrg0aa17j. The former Jazz now Timberwolves big man won Defensive Player of the Year in 2018, 2019 and 2021. selected NBA All-Defensive First Team for the sixth consecutive season and earned his third All-Star selection. So much of this award from the campaigning to even interpreting the voting results is about framing. MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo, who won it in 2020, rounds out the top five contenders, though hes a distant fifth at +2500. 2022-23 Statistics: 2.4 bpg, 0.5 spg. 5 New York, fell 2 1/2 games behind No. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. 121. Trending Topics: Who will prevail in Play-In Tournament? like follow. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Defensive Player Ladder: Lopez returns to No. #NBACourtOptix powered by Microsoft Azure showcases how effective Mikal Bridges is at defending screens! 1, 5 takeaways from wild Celtics-Nets opener, Report: Grizzlies' Clarke suffers season-ending injury, Ja will be away from team for 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs, Magic's Isaac (torn adductor) out for rest of season, Kia Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Smart, NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winners. Curry and the Warriors would have a record-setting season in 2016 but lose in the Finals in the greatest upset in NBA history. Earlier this season, the Boston Celtics found themselves with two realistic candidates for the NBA's 2022 Defensive Player of the Year ( DPOY) award: veteran point guard Marcus Smart and rising big man Robert Williams III. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. 1 in the span of a year and they up their play with impressive individual stats to boot. 1 spot as both players hope to solidify their case for the award this week. Matisse Thybulle has been an outside contender for the NBA-Defensive-Player-of-the-Year . He also won the NBA Hustle Award for the 2018-19 season. NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winners. . The strong defense helped propel the Celtics to a 51-31 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel. New York led 71-56 at the half, after another first two quarters of Miami being unable to get stops. Jonathan has worked extremely hard to return to the court this season and has demonstrated his impact on our team. Marcus Smart is the first guard to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year since Gary Payton in the 1995-96 season. The Orlando forward played only 11 games this season after missing two years with a torn ACL. Somewhat surprisingly, though, his counting stats are the worst theyve been since his rookie year. 2018-19 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz (Voting) Neither played in 58 games, which represents 70 percent of the 82-game regular season schedule, which the NBA uses as its threshold for crowning statistical champions scoring and rebounding titles, for example. April 18, 2022 8:32 pm ET. Predicting the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. WHAT A CRAZY SEQUENCE TO END KNICKS/HEAT . Boston Celtics. June 9, 2021 6:06 PM. 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks (Voting) The amount of times a big has won over a guard is just crazy, Bridges told Yahoo Sports recently. We will be by his side as he focuses on the work ahead.. Isaac played in the bubble in 2020 after missing much of that pandemic-ravaged season due to a knee injury. Winner: Jaren Jackson Jr. (11) 1, Ja will be away from team for 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points, NBA Fantasy: Under-the-radar additions for playoffs, Magic's Isaac (torn adductor) out for rest of season, Triple-double win streak shows Jokic dominance, Kia Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Smart. A look at the 2021-22 #KiaSixth finalists: Tyler Herro Cam Johnson Kevin Love#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/tfAFeB2FaK. If you did that play 100 times 99 times out of that, its going to end up in our favor, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Taking a look at the numbers behind Nikola Jokic's historic season for the Nuggets. Most Improved Player. NBA.com's writers predict who will prevail in the Play-In Tournament and emerge with the No. Utah Jazz center and three-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert finished in third place with 136 points (12 first-place votes). The Jazz center takes over the No. Award: MP - 30.1, RPG - 14.3, BPG - 2.0, SPG - 0.7, DWS - 3.3, DBPM - -0.2. 1, Defensive Player Ladder: Giannis holds No. Spots on the NBA's All-Defensive Teams are given to the league's ten best defensive performers at the conclusion of every season. December 13, 2022 9:12 am CT. He also set a career high in defensive rebounds per game (3.2). A starter in all 71 of his games played in the 2021-22 regular season, the 6-foot-4 Smart ranked seventh in the NBA in steals per game (1.68) and tied for sixth in total steals (119). Jaren Jackson Jr. - Memphis Grizzlies (16 votes) Through the years, the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award has always seemed to be one of the most unpredictable award races. The Suns wiry wing does it tirelessly, logging the most court distance defensively on a nightly basis. Bam Adebayo, whose exclusion as a finalist sparked griping in Miami, got more first-place votes than Gobert. Marcus Smart won the 2021-22 NBA Most Improved Player Award following an impressive season that saw the Boston Celtics earn the three-seed in the Eastern Conference.The win for Smart marks the first time DPOY has been awarded to a guard since Gary Payton with the Seattle SuperSonics back in 1996. 1995-96 Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics [9] Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only winners to have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their careers;[10] Jordan, Olajuwon and Antetokounmpo won both awards in the same season. Sky Sports 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year predictions and picks kicks off, taking a look at big names like Jaren Jackson Jr, Evan Mobley and Brook Lopez and notable mentions ahead of the . Anthony Morrow a nine-year NBA player last seen in the league in 2017 was arrested last month in his hometown of Charlotte on charges of assault and kidnapping tied to a domestic violence incident. In the first of what will be several days of NBA Awards ballot reveals, here is a look at the votes and rationale for Kia Defensive Player of the Year, as one voter sees it, plus picks for All-Defensive First and Second Team: The Phoenix Suns 25-year-old forward established himself in his fourth NBA season as the leagues peskiest bird of prey. Wilson, the 2020 Kia WNBA MVP, finished with the most fan votes for the 2022 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game and guided Team Wilson to a 134-112 win at Chicago's Wintrust Arena on July 10. Incredibly honored! Nearly two-thirds of Defensive Player of the Year voters thought Celtics guard Marcus Smart didnt deserve the award. After completing buyout with Pistons, Noel joins a Nets team needing some size off the bench. There's still value in a good defensive stalwart, even in today's high-scoring NBA. Up until the 2014-15 season, the league's head coaches decided on the All-Defensive Teams before it was opened up to media members from around the world. Phoenix Suns forward Mikal Bridges finished in second place with 202 points (22 first-place votes). Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. Evan Mobley improved to +700 and now sits third. The NBA leader in blocks climbs to the top in the latest ranking of the league's best defenders. Phoenix's ironman leads Rudy Gobert and Marcus Smart in the final ranking of the NBA's best defenders. The play of O.G. NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Brook Lopez is one of the favorites to win Defensive Player of the Year, and it makes sense why that is the case. He has faith in our justice system and has every confidence that a review of the evidence will reveal that he is not guilty, Morrows lawyer said. RotoWire names five under-the-radar players who could add value to your rosters as we approach fantasy playoffs. 1988-89 Mark Eaton, Utah Jazz At just 37%, Smart has the lowest share of first-place votes by the winner of one of the NBA's five major player awards since 2015. Tyler Herro steals it and scores for the lead, and Julius Randle follows with a cold-blooded game winner! Jaren Jackson Jr. -200Brook Lopez +700Nicolas Claxton +700Bam Adebayo +700Giannis Antetokounmpo +2500Evan Mobley +3300Jarrett Allen +4000Joel Embiid +4000OG Anunoby +4000. But in this age of skipping nights on back-to-backs and resting when generally healthy (even with the term load management suppressed), theres more than ever to be said for showing up. That year, Kawhi Leonard won Defensive Player of the Year with just 29% of first-place votes. Check out your 2021-22 #KiaMVP finalists, Giannis AntetokounmpoNikola Jokic Joel Embiid#NBAAwards pic.twitter.com/xxigK4RJBc. The 2022-2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award is going to be competitive, with several gifted defenders going at it this season, with Smart almost certainly being in the mix once again. Jackson was a value bet in the preseason with +2800 odds, tied for 15th-best at the time. Previous NBA DPOY Power Ranking - N/A. Jokic has won the NBA's MVP award for a second consecutive year after averaging 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game for a Nuggets team that won 48 games. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. I think this award and me winning it shows that and the path for us guards now and in the future.. Out of the blue, Brooklyn Nets big man Nic Claxton has emerged as a legit threat to run away with this award, rapidly climbing his way up the NBA Defensive Player of the Year ladder for 2023. Smart finished ahead of Suns forward Mikal Bridges and three-time winner Rudy Gobert of the Jazz in the voting. NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2022 - Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson has been named the 2022 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, the WNBA announced today.This is the first WNBA Defensive Player of .