A'ja Wilson Named to WNBA All-Defensive First Team

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WNBA Las Vegas Aces

A'ja Wilson Named to WNBA All-Defensive First Team

September 29, 2024 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Las Vegas Aces News Release


NEW YORK - The WNBA announced today that Las Vegas Aces forward and 2024 league M'VP A'ja Wilson was named to the 2024 All-Defensive First Team-her fourth all-defensive selection and third in as many seasons.

Wilson, who led the league with 2.6 blocks per game, 9.8 defensive rebounds per game and defensive win shares (3.8), ranked second for defensive rating (92.4) and fifth with 1.8 steals per game (5th). Her 4.37 stocks per game (steals plus blocks) ranks as the 7th-best stocks average in WNBA history. She did this all while scoring a league-record 26.9 points, grabbing 11.9 rebounds (2nd) and leading the W in efficiency rating (34.9), turnover percentage (5.3) and usage percentage (32.2).

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year finished second in voting for this year's DPOY, receiving 26 of 67 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, behind Minnesota's Napheesa Collier's 36 points. Seattle's Ezi Magbegor was third (three votes), Connecticut's DiJonai Carrington and Minnesota's Courtney Williams each received one vote.

Wilson is the fourth player in franchise history to be named to WNBA All-Defensive Teams-Jia Perkins (2013 second team), Danielle Robinson (2012, 2013 & 2014 second team) and Sophia Young-Malcolm (2008 first team; 2012 second team). Wilson earned second team honors in 2020, and first team honors in each of the past 3 seasons.

The Aces continue their quest for a WNBA three-peat with a WNBA Semifinals series against the New York Liberty beginning in Brooklyn on Sunday, Sept. 29 (12 pm PT on ABC), and Tuesday, Oct. 1 (time and network TBA), before traveling to Las Vegas for Game 3 on Friday, Oct. 4 (6:30 pm PT on ESPN2). If necessary, Game 4 will be held in Las Vegas on Sunday, Oct. 6 (time and network TBA) and Game 5, if necessary, will return to Brooklyn on Tuesday, Oct. 8 (time TBA on ESPN2).

2024 All-Defensive First Team

Napheesa Collier, Minnesota

A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas

Ezi Magbegor, Seattle

DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut

Breanna Stewart, New York

2024 All-Defensive Second Team

Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut

Alanna Smith, Minnesota

Nneka Ogwumike, Seattle

Jonquel Jones, New York

Natasha Cloud, Phoenix

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