WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award


The Women's National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual Women's National Basketball Association award given since the league's inaugural season -- 1997, to the top defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points; each second-place vote is worth three points; and each third-place vote is worth one point. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award.
Tamika Catchings has won the defensive player of the year award more times than any other player with the record of 5.

Winners

SeasonPlayerPositionNationalityTeam
1997Teresa WeatherspoonGuardNew York Liberty
1998Teresa Weatherspoon GuardNew York Liberty
1999Yolanda GriffithCenterSacramento Monarchs
2000Sheryl SwoopesGuard / ForwardHouston Comets
2001Debbie BlackGuardMiami Sol
2002Sheryl Swoopes Guard / ForwardHouston Comets
2003Sheryl Swoopes Guard / ForwardHouston Comets
2004Lisa LeslieCenterLos Angeles Sparks
2005Tamika CatchingsForwardIndiana Fever
2006Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever
2007Lauren JacksonForward / CenterSeattle Storm
2008Lisa Leslie CenterLos Angeles Sparks
2009Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever
2010Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever
2011Sylvia FowlesCenterChicago Sky
2012Tamika Catchings ForwardIndiana Fever
2013Sylvia Fowles CenterChicago Sky
2014Brittney GrinerCenterPhoenix Mercury
2015Brittney Griner CenterPhoenix Mercury
2016Sylvia Fowles CenterMinnesota Lynx
2017Alana BeardGuard / ForwardLos Angeles Sparks
2018Alana Beard Guard / ForwardLos Angeles Sparks
2019Natasha HowardGuard / ForwardSeattle Storm