Napheesa Collier has been the front-runner for this year’s WNBA MVP award all season long—even though Alyssa Thomas is making a compelling case as well. However, Collier isn’t the only Lynx player making a case for a big individual award. Alanna Smith has played her way into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
For Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, there is no doubt that her starting center should win the award. When asked about Smith’s defensive impact after the Lynx’s second win against the Liberty, Reeve said, “I can’t tell you how much we depend on her and her matchups…Lan [Alanna Smith] is just really smart—really, really smart—and would absolutely be my choice for defensive player.”
Earlier in the press conference Reeve also said, “Alanna Smith is just incredibly. I mean, you don’t come to a basketball game and go, ‘That’s not one of the best defensive players in the league.’”
Alanna Smith is an impressive defensive player
The Lynx don’t really have any weak defensive links on the roster. So, it is no surprise that they lead the league in defensive rating. Alanna Smith is the anchor of that defense. She protects the rim well, averaging two blocks per game, but can also switch and alter shots she doesn’t quite get her hands on. She also gets her fair share of deflections on passes sailing into the post.
The 28-year-old regularly takes on some of the toughest assignments in the league. When the Lynx played the Liberty, Smith matched up with Emma Meesseman and Jonquel Jones. Against Seattle, she had to guard Nneka Ogwumike and Ezi Magbegor. Smith can hold her own defensively against the best bigs in the WNBA.
Smith is one of the best shot-blockers in the league. She ranks second in the league in total blocks with 63. Ezi Magbegor has recorded a total of 65 blocks, leading Smith by two. While she doesn’t lead the league, Smith has totalled more blocks than Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson, the last two Defensive Player of the Year winners.
Anchoring the best defense in the league always makes for a good Defensive Player of the Year case.
The Lynx are still a top-three defense without Collier
Napheesa Collier injured her ankle in a historic blowout win over the Aces. Despite playing without the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, the Lynx have still been good defensively over the last three games. They didn’t face easy opponents either, going up against Seattle, Washington, and New York. Nevertheless, the Lynx put up the third-best defensive rating in the league over that stretch. Only Phoenix and Atlanta were better.
Adding DiJonai Carrington to the guard rotation certainly helped the Lynx’s defense. She is disruptive, can guard several positions, and provides an opportunity for Kayla McBride to take on easier defensive assignments.
However, the Lynx’s defensive success without Collier also highlights Smith’s impact in the frontcourt. There is a big difference between a frontcourt featuring Smith and Collier, and one in which Collier is replaced by Jessica Shepard or Maria Kliundikova. While both have been solid for the Lynx all season long, neither is the same level of defender as Collier.