A’ja Wilson named Defensive Player of the Year

Las Vegas Aces superstar A’ja Wilson has been confirmed to have won her first major award of the 2025 season.

On Thursday, Wilson was named co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside Minnesota Lynx forward Alanna Smith.

Wilson, who is a top contender to win a WNBA-record fourth MVP award, has taken her game to a new level in 2025, pushing the Aces through a first-half slump to a 17-game win streak and the second seed of the WNBA playoffs.

Winning Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four seasons, Wilson lead play on the defensive side of the court with 2.3 blocks, 1.6 steals and 8.8 defensive rebounds per game. Her efforts lead to a team-wide surge, with the Aces allowing only 76.3 points per game.

The metrics also support Wilson’s claim to the award. She is the league leader in defensive win shares (3.3), defensive rebounds (316) and blocks per game. Wilson was also among the top five players in block (6.4 percent) and steal percentage (2.7 percent).

Wilson’s award is a positive for the Aces, but her focus is surely on the first round against the Seattle Storm, with a do-or-die Game Three on Thursday at Michelob ULTRA Arena.