The Defensive Player of the Year conversation is arguably the closest race of all the awards in the WNBA this season (with all due respect to the Rookie of the Year race).
There are several worthy candidates for this award, but which players have the strongest case? As we approach the Olympic break, here are some of the leading candidates and their DPOY cases:
Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)
The Minnesota Lynx have the best defensive rating in the league and a relative efficiency on that end that rivals some of the best in WNBA history. According to pbpstats, the Minnesota Lynx currently have the best relative defensive rating (rDRTG) of all time, clocking in at -10.0, which is an entire point ahead of the 2002 Houston Comets, who are second with a -9.0 rDRTG.
Simply put, the Lynx defense is historically good. We can’t talk about this defense without mentioning the role Napheesa Collier has played as a perimeter defender and helpside defender. Collier is usually tasked with guarding the opposing team’s best forward and is typically on the perimeter more than most power forwards….
