The WNBA All-Defensive Teams just dropped, and if you needed more proof that defense is gonna absolutely define these WNBA Finals, you just got it. Three members of the Atlanta Dream and three members of the Golden State Valkyries snagged six of the ten spots across the First and Second Teams. Talk about clutch players showing up when it matters most!
Angel Reese Leads a First-Timer Party, Gabby Williams Still Shines
Heading up the All-Defensive First Team is none other than Angel Reese, who also nabbed Defensive Player of the Year. This is Reese’s first All-Defensive selection, which is kinda wild when you think about how much she dominates. Her Dream teammate Rhyne Howard joins her, earning her second straight and second overall defensive honor. But check this out, our very own Gabby Williams, who was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up, secured a spot on that First Team too! This is her third All-Defensive honor, and us Seattle fans definitely remember her crushing it with the Storm in 2022 and 2025. Yeah, she’s still got it, and the league is paying attention. Rounding out the First Team are the Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson, who now has an insane six All-Defensive selections (and is a three-time DPOY), and the Washington Mystics’ Shakira Austin, who is a first-time nominee.
Jordin Canada and a Decade-Long Comeback
Over on the All-Defensive Second Team, we’ve got another Emerald City legend, Jordin Canada! She got the nod, making it her third All-Defensive honor. Remember her shutting folks down with the Storm back in 2019, and then again with the LA Sparks in 2023? That’s consistency right there. Veronica Burton, one of the Valkyries’ defensive stars, also earned her second straight and second overall defensive honor. And get this: Kiah Stokes, another Valkyrie, is back on an All-Defensive team after more than a decade! Her first selection was way back in 2015 with the New York Liberty. That’s a serious comeback story! Sonia Citron, a Mystics teammate of Austin’s, also snagged her first All-Defensive award, and the legendary Breanna Stewart, the Liberty stalwart, rounds out the Second Team with her eighth All-Defensive award. Eighth!
The message is clear: the WNBA Finals are gonna be a defensive battle, plain and simple. With so many top-tier defenders duking it out, you know every possession is gonna be fought for. Get ready for some gritty, grind-it-out basketball. This is what it’s all about!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply