Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier has won WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Collier, a four-time All-Star, has had a stellar season, averaging 20.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, as well as 1.9 steals and 1.4 blocks. The 28-year-old forward finished second in MVP voting behind unanimous MVP winner A’ja Wilson.
The WNBA announced the news on Sunday, confirming a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania two days prior.
Earlier this week, Collier led Minnesota to the semifinals off two dominant postseason performances, scoring 80 total points — a WNBA first — in the two-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury
In her sixth season in the WNBA, Collier has established herself as dominant force on both sides of the court. Collier sits in the top 10 in the WNBA in several major categories, including points, rebounds, steals and blocks.
She is third in the league in rebounds per game and second in steals per game, providing a strong defensive presence while still racking up points on offense. Nearly all of her season-long averages mark career highs.
Collier, who has taken on even more of a leadership role with this Lynx squad, averaged 34.7 minutes per game this season — a career high and the third-highest mark in the league. The Lynx finished the regular season 30-10, the second best record in the WNBA.
Other than Wilson and Collier, the other two WNBA awards were rounded out by Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington, who took home Most Improved Player earlier this week, and Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, who has reportedly won Rookie of the Year. Clark’s award has not been officially announced, but both she and Collier’s honors were seemingly leaked in an unrelated statement released by the WNBPA on Friday, prior to Charania’s report.
After sweeping the Mercury, Collier and the Lynx will face off against the Sun in a best-of-five semifinal. The first game will take place in Minnesota on Sunday.
