This year’s DPOTY race is more wide open than ever, with as many as seven players having legitimate cases. You could go in several different directions and have a valid argument, but our pick is Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin.
Austin is anchoring the No. 2 defense in the league while leading the youngest team in WNBA history to the playoffs.
She can do just about everything defensively. Austin is elite at defending in ball screens, with the ability to switch, play at the level or in drop. Her lateral movement and flexibility is special. Austin’s active off the ball, rotates quickly and uses her length and athleticism to make plays as in help, too.
She’s also been remarkably disciplined. Austin is just the 12th player to post a 4 percent block rate and a foul rate below 3 percent in a season (minimum 20 games played and 25 minutes per game), according to HerHoopStats.
Opponents are shooting just 49.7 percent at the rim against Austin this season, the best mark among all WNBA players, according to Yahoo Sports’ Nekias Duncan.
Gabby Williams was our original pick, but her minutes load is the biggest flaw in her case. She’s played more than 300 fewer minutes than Austin this season, and her 24.8 minutes per game would be the lowest average ever for a DPOTY winner.
Angel Reese also has a compelling case. Her on/off impact is massive, with the Dream allowing 14 fewer points per 100 possessions with her on the floor (No. 1 in the league). Reese also forces more turnovers than any front-court player and consistently ends possessions on the glass.
But as good as Reese has been defensively in space, she doesn’t protect the rim anywhere near Austin’s level, and Washington’s defense has been slightly better overall this season.