2024 WNBA All Star - Practice Sessions - Source: Getty — WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) Rankings 2024: Top 5 candidates ft. A'ja Wilson (Week 10) (Getty)

WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) Rankings 2024: Top 5 candidates ft. A'ja Wilson (Week 10)

Modified Jul 23, 2024 18:50 GMT

The WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award is a coveted prize. Some players prefer to put all their energy on the offensive end of the ball, while others are better off taking on the challenge of defending the biggest threat on the opposing team.

There are several good candidates to take this award home, but only five are real contenders to become the 2024 WNBA DPOY. With the Olympic break in progress, anything can happen once the players return to action next month.

Meanwhile, let's look at the top five candidates for the first half of the season.

Top 5 WNBA DPOY candidates in 2024 after Week 10

#5. Azurá Stevens, LA Sparks

Los Angeles Sparks v New York Liberty Source: Getty

Azurá Stevens made it to this list last week after making her season debut on July 7. The forward/center joined a struggling LA Sparks squad that couldn't get things right.

She's averaging 6.8 defensive rebounds (36.0% of the team's defensive rebounds), 2.3 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. In four games this season, she's posted a 98.0 defensive rating.

#4. Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty

Breanna Stewart dealt with some health issues last week, which made her miss the season's final game of the first half. The New York Liberty superstar remains one of the best two-way players in the league, averaging 7.5 defensive rebounds (30.1% of the Liberty's total), 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks. Stewart boasts a 95.5 defensive rating and .184 in Defensive Win Shares.

#3. Ezi Magbegor, Seattle Storm

Chicago Sky vs. Seattle Storm (source: Getty)

Ezi Magbegor aspires to win two major WNBA awards this season, starting with the Most Improved Player of the Year.

She has made a significant impact as a defender for the Seattle Storm, averaging 5.9 defensive rebounds per game (27.6% of the Storm's total), 1.4 steals per game, and 2.4 blocks per game (ranked second in the league) over 25 games this season. Additionally, she has an impressive defensive rating of 90.9 and a .224 defensive win shares percentage.

#2. Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

Seattle Storm vs. Minnesota Lynx, Game Three (Source: Getty)

Napheesa Collier led this ranking for several weeks and she's probably aiming to do the same once the league returns.

The star player of the Minnesota Lynx has led her team to a 17-8 record this season with a 90.7 defensive rating and .251 defensive win shares. She averages 2.2 steals per game (the second-best in the WNBA) and 1.5 blocks per game this season. Additionally, she grabs 7.6 defensive rebounds per game, which accounts for 31.3% of the Lynx's total defensive rebounds.

#1. A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

Chicago Sky vs. Las Vegas Aces: Source: Getty

A'ja Wilson is arguably the best player in the league this season. She's taken the Aces from a 6-6 record to a 16-8 record. She achieved this by performing well on both the offensive and defensive ends.

Wilson currently has a defensive rating of 99.4 and .129 defensive win shares (DWS) while averaging 9.7 defensive rebounds per game (38.6% of the team's total). She ranks sixth in steals with 1.8 per game and first in blocks with 2.8 per game.