The Money Line: Odds, Prediction for WNBA Defensive Player of the Year

Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (+450)

While Stewart arrive to the league with much fanfare and high expectations, I don’t know how many people expected her to make such an impact on the defensive side of the ball. The 2016 WNBA Rookie of the Year quietly had one of the best defensive seasons in the league, finishing second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Stewart’s numbers in the basic categories were impressive, but perhaps the most eye-popping fact is that her 277 defensive rebounds were the most in a single season in WNBA history! She also was third in blocks per game (1.9), 10th in block percentage (4.1), 10th in defensive rating (99.1), second in defensive rebound percentage (27.8) and fourth in defensive win shares (2.5). Even if she made no improvement at all, the team’s likely success could propel her to the top of the podium.