WNBA: Napheesa Collier leads the league’s finest protection

The Defensive Participant of the 12 months dialog is arguably the closest race of all of the awards within the WNBA this season (with all due respect to the Rookie of the 12 months race).

There are a number of worthy candidates for this award, however which gamers have the strongest case? As we strategy the Olympic break, listed here are a few of the main candidates and their DPOY instances:

Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)

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The Minnesota Lynx have the most effective defensive score within the league and a relative effectivity on that finish that rivals a few of the finest in WNBA historical past. In keeping with pbpstats, the Minnesota Lynx at the moment have the most effective relative defensive score (rDRTG) of all time, clocking in at -10.0, which is a whole level forward of the 2002 Houston Comets, who’re second with a -9.0 rDRTG.

Merely put, the Lynx protection is traditionally good. We are able to’t discuss this protection with out mentioning the function Napheesa Collier has performed as a fringe defender and helpside defender. Collier is often tasked with guarding the opposing staff’s finest ahead and is usually on the perimeter greater than most energy forwards. Whether or not she’s blowing up dribble hand-offs or switching onto guards, Collier is chargeable for overlaying probably the most floor protection of anybody on Minnesota’s roster.

After all, Collier additionally isn’t any slouch as a helpside rim protector both. She is probably not the shot blocker that her teammate Alanna Smith is, however she’s nonetheless excellent in that regard.

Synergy has Collier rated as an amazing spot-up defender and good post-up defender, however solely common within the different facets. Nonetheless, I believe this actually undersells her skill on that finish. Monitoring information may be very wonky, and Collier being requested to cowl probably the most floor of any participant on, statistically, the most effective protection in WNBA historical past is definitely sturdy and deserving proof for why she must be DPOY.

I’ve detailed extra of her distinctive protection in a YouTube video linked beneath:

Alanna Smith (Minnesota Lynx)

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Sure, the Minnesota Lynx should have two candidates for this award. No, it’s not an exaggeration.

After coming over from the Chicago Sky the place she performed final season, Alanna Smith has emerged as probably the most essential items of this elite Minnesota protection. Final season, the Lynx had a bottom-three protection within the league, regardless of having a really related core. And despite the fact that Smith wasn’t the one addition the Lynx made this offseason, she’s arguably been an important.

Of the 4 candidates for this award, Smith has actually impressed me together with her put up protection, which holds large worth when you think about she is comparatively undersized at that place. I used to be not anticipating Smith to carry her personal in addition to she has towards frontcourt gamers just like the New York Liberty’s Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Solar’s Brionna Jones and Dallas Wings’ Tierra McCowan, however she’s accomplished simply that.

As well as, Smith has been an excellent rim protector for this Minnesota protection and he or she’s extraordinarily disciplined on her contests. However, the final side of Smith’s recreation that may be the strongest is her helpside rim safety. I believe Smith has the most effective off-ball consciousness of the 4 candidates on this race, and her fast cognitive skill permits for her to course of actions occurring behind her and to react in time to make spectacular defensive performs that save layups.

Now, Minnesota isn’t an elite protection due to one individual. They’ve some very sturdy point-of-attack defenders in Kayla McBride and stable ones like Courtney Williams and Bridget Carleton. However traditionally, the primary drivers of elite defenses have been rim protectors, and that function has virtually solely been assigned to Smith this season, and he or she has excelled.

Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)

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Of the 4 main candidates, Stewart’s staff has the worst defensive score. Nonetheless, this stat overlooks a variety of context.

The New York Liberty have a number of defensive liabilities of their beginning lineup, two being Sabrina Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot. And on this period of matchup looking on offense, it makes it infinitely tougher to provide good defensive outcomes when there are a number of damaging defenders on the ground.

That is the place Stewart’s DPOY case manifests itself. Not solely has New York produced a top-four protection this season, however they’ve accomplished so regardless of the holes on protection. that Stewart has been chargeable for clogging up. Head coach Sandy Brondello incorporates a variety of scram switches and rotation switches, each of which require Stewart to be on guard for potential defensive mismatches that contain Ionescu and Vandersloot, requiring her to change in the midst of a play.

You possibly can see this clearly within the movie as nicely. Watch how on this play, Stewart acknowledges Vandersloot is matched up with Tina Charles in transition, so she switches together with her earlier than the Atlanta Dream can get into their motion, and Stewie defends the post-up nicely.

Away from the ball, Stewart has additionally been tasked with doubling and making lightning-quick rotations to guard the Liberty guards. Stewart has an insane wingspan that makes this attainable, blowing up entry passes that will’ve been layups and making sideline-to-sideline rotations as a part of New York’s help-and-recover scheme.

In my view, Breanna Stewart has the toughest job of the 4 candidates. Having the ability to anchor a top-four protection whereas overlaying up severe defensive liabilities in Ionescu and Vandersloot is one thing the opposite candidates will not be tasked with as they’ve higher defensive guards. Stewart is the important thing to a switchable, cellular, help-and-recover scheme and her quickness, size and IQ permits for her to amplify any defensive scheme that exists, whatever the supporting forged.

Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm)

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Ezi Magbegor is among the most intimidating shot blockers I’ve seen within the WNBA in a very long time. She’s tied for first in blocks in the whole WNBA and her wingspan and top makes it to the place shooters need to angle their photographs a lot greater off the glass to even get a clear look.

Her Synergy metrics are extraordinarily sturdy throughout the board. She isn’t actually tasked with guarding pick-and-roll as a lot as the opposite three candidates on this listing, however a part of that’s scheme. The Seattle Storm have been very intentional with retaining her near the basket as attainable, and with an elite frontcourt teammate like Nneka Ogwumike sharing the court docket together with her, it makes Seattle so troublesome to attain on.

Seattle has a top-three protection within the league proper now and most influence metrics have Magbegor within the prime three on the defensive finish. Now, these stats are too small of a pattern for use as an argument for this season, which is why I believe a compelling metric is how she’s regarded in earlier seasons. Seattle’s protection has been 4 factors higher on protection within the final three mixed seasons with Magbegor on the ground versus when she’s off the ground. That is virtually a 3,000 to 1,500 minute pattern that’s compelling sufficient to make me consider the influence metrics we’re seeing this season aren’t an overreaction.

Nonetheless, I believe the stat that actually highlights her rim safety worth is that this: Groups are capturing 11 p.c worse on the rim with Ezi Magbegor on the ground this season. Going from 70 p.c to 59 p.c is the distinction between Seattle being the worst staff within the league on this metric to being the third finest. That’s the definition of DPOY-level influence.