While waiting to see if she makes the double for the WNBA MVP trophy, A’ja Wilson has already won the double for “Defender of the Year”, after having already been so last season.
The Las Vegas Aces player received 32 votes out of 60, Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun) finishing in second place with 24 votes. Brittney Sykes (Washington Mystics) finished in third place with three votes while Betnijah Laney (New York Liberty) collects the last available vote.
It must be said that A’ja Wilson was the best blocker of the season (2.2 per game) and she was also 3rd in defensive rebounds (7.5) and 10th in steals (1.4).
The 27-year-old explains that having played volleyball helps her a lot defensively, although her combination of size and mobility makes her poison for opposing attackers anyway, since she can pop up to block attacks. shots in the second curtain, or hold the outside on defensive “switches”.
“Defense requires a lot of pride, understanding where you are placed and knowing the opponents. I like these challenges: can I defend on a pivot? Can I defend against a point guard? I try to go out on the field and show it every game. I’m not trying to be the best [contreuse] of the world, because if I can contain and help my outsiders or force a missed shot, I’m happy. People always say that defense starts with the heart. I try to have as much heart as possible” she concludes.
