2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds & Predictions: A'ja Wilson Leads the Pack

It's that time of the year! The 2026 WNBA season is just five days away. Let's take a look at the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year odds and predictions for the upcoming season. A'ja Wilson leads the early race, but I have my sleepers and predictions for 2026.

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2025 was a year unlike any other. Both A'ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and Alanna Smith, formerly of the Minnesota Lynx, won Co-Defensive Player of the Year. For the first time ever, both players were honored with the award, receiving 29 of 72 media votes. While it's possible that two players can share the award, it's unlikely.

Similar to the MVP award, forwards and centers have dominated the Defensive Player of the Year award for the latter part of a half-decade. A'ja Wilson has won the award in three of the last four seasons. Also, Brittney Griner, Alana Beard, and Wilson have gone back-to-back at various times since 2014.

Since the WNBA's inaugural season in 1997, only four guards have won the award: Teresa Weatherspoon (2), Sheryl Swoopes (3), Debbie Black (1), and Alana Beard (2). Plus, Swoopes and Beard are technically classified as guards/forwards. Former Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings holds the record with five WNBA Defensive Player of the Year honors.

A'ja Wilson Leads the Field for 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award

I'm not saying it's impossible, but bigs have dominated the award for quite some time, and the combination of Wilson, Smith, and Napheesa Collier has headlined DPOY since 2022.

Wilson is the heavy favorite to win again this year at +250 odds on FanDuel. Oddsmakers give her a 28.57% implied chance of winning the award, and there's a large gap following Wilson. Next up is Gabby Williams (+850), who set a franchise record for the Seattle Storm with 99 steals in 2025. Signing with the Golden State Valkyries in free agency, Williams joins a defensive-minded culture in the Bay.

Alanna Smith (+1000), Aliyah Boston (+1000), and Angel Reese (+1200) round off the top five favorites. There are seven players who are favored from +1200 to +1500.

Here are the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year odds for the 2026 season, sleepers, and my best bets/predictions. While oddsmakers view Wilson as the leader of the pack, I think the race is wide open.

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2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Betting Odds Full Field (FanDuel)

*Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook*

Past WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winners

The Favorite

A'ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces: +250

A four-time WNBA MVP, A'ja Wilson is a three-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. Earning the honors in 2022, 2023, and 2025, Wilson is considered one of the greatest two-way players of all time, and she's not even 30. Regarded as one of the most decorated active players in the league, Wilson is a five-time WNBA blocks leader, named to the WNBA All-Defensive Team in 2020, and has earned four WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors.

To put things into perspective, Wilson has been crowned Defensive Player of the Year three times since 2022 and has been named to the All-Defensive First Team also since 2022. As mentioned previously in my MVP article, it's hard to fade Wilson at this stage in her career. She's a perennial scorer, but is a menace on the defensive end.

Why A'ja Wilson is the Favorite

Aforementioned, both Wilson and Smith earned Co-Defensive Player of the Year, receiving 29 of 72 media votes. Wilson led the WNBA with 2.3 blocks per game in 2025 and ranked third with 23 double-doubles. Additionally, Wilson averaged the second-most rebounds per game (10.2 RPG), behind only Angel Reese, and recorded 1.6 steals per game.

In 40 regular-season games, Wilson led the WNBA in total rebounds (407) and defensive rebounds (316). In the postseason, Wilson could not be stopped. Through 12 playoff games, she averaged 10.0 rebounds, 2.1 steals, and 2.5 blocks.

It's easy to see why Wilson is a top pick here. She played just one preseason game so far, recording 18 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block in 23 minutes against the Dallas Wings.

Although Vegas has yet to make its final cuts, this roster didn't change dramatically. The frontcourt remained the same, as the Aces re-signed NaLyssa Smith and Cheyenne Parker-Tyus. Additionally, they brought in Brianna Turner and Stephanie Talbot to help Wilson in free agency.

Wilson notably led the Aces to a 17-game win streak and earned a massive payday in the offseason. I'm expecting her to have another monstrous year in her ninth WNBA season.

Value Picks

Alanna Smith, Dallas Wings: +1000

If you didn't know, Alanna Smith bolted to Dallas from Minnesota and signed a lucrative three-year, $3.75 million contract with the Wings.

The former Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2025, Smith was elite on defense. Starting all 42 games for Cheryl Reeve and the Lynx, Smith averaged a career-best 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals. Boasting a 6.6% block percentage, Smith also recorded a 2.9 defensive win share.

Smith was very much valuable to the Lynx as Minnesota was +11.5 with Smith on the court in 2025. Not to mention, she anchored the defense, especially when Napheesa Collier was out with injuries. At 6-foot-4, Smith was often tasked with guarding both the four and the five. As a result, Minnesota was ranked No. 1 in offensive rating (109.5) and defensive rating (97.5). In addition, she led the WNBA in NET rating (12.1).

Smith finds herself in an entirely new situation, this time as the Dallas Wings' starting center. Smith is a versatile player who can guard multiple positions, so that already makes her a top candidate. She's set to anchor the frontcourt alongside Jessica Shepard and Li Yueru. That said, Smith should earn massive minutes and a significant opportunity to offer some inside-outside scoring for Dallas, along with rim protection.

Smith ranked third with 1.9 blocks per game in 2025. She has a chance to lead this frontcourt, but how will she adapt to Jose Fernandez's new system? We've seen Smith log just 31 preseason minutes, but she has been solid on both ends, spacing the floor with 3-point shots. Against the Fever, Monique Billings shot just 1-5 from the floor, and Damiris Dantas, 2-11.

At +1000 odds, Smith has a 9% implied chance to win the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year award. If you bet $10, the payout would be $110.

Aliyah Boston, Indiana Fever: +1000

Another value pick to win Defensive Player of the Year is Indiana Fever center Aliyah Boston.

Set to enter her fourth year with the Fever, Boston signed a lucrative $6.3M extension with Indiana under the new EPIC provision. A four-time SEC All-Defensive Team during her time with the South Carolina Gamecocks, Boston was named to the WNBA All-Defensive Team in 2025.

Moreover, Boston earned All-WNBA Second Team honors last season.

Standing at 6-foot-5 inches tall, Boston will lead a Fever frontcourt who lose Natasha Howard (Lynx), but signed Monique Billings and Myisha Hines-Allen in free agency. Starting all 44 games for Stephanie White in 2025, Boston averaged a career-best 15 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.

With Caitlin Clark sidelined for all but 13 games, Boston led the way with a 2.5 defensive win share and boasted a 23.7% defensive rebound percentage. Totaling 17 double-doubles on the season, Boston truly cemented herself as an elite defender in 2025.

Boston was recently crowned Unrivaled's 2026 Defensive Player of the Year. She's been a menace defensively in the 3x3 setting. Is this the year she wins the award in the WNBA? Boston is an inside defender but can defend the perimeter. Similar to Smith, Boston has a 9% implied chance to win the Defensive Player of the Year award.

Long Shot

Natasha Howard, Minnesota Lynx: +10000

This may be a long shot, but Natasha Howard does have a path to win the DPOY. Howard, 34, won the award in 2019 and is a two-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team in 2018 and 2019. I understand why Howard is an extreme long shot. In fact, she has the highest odds of the full field at +10000.

She has just a 0.99% implied chance of winning the award.

Howard joined forces with Aliyah Boston and the Fever last season, averaging 11.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.2 steals. Starting all 44 games, Howard was quite productive next to Boston. Howard recently signed a deal with the Lynx, where she's expected to lead the frontcourt.

Napheesa Collier is expected to remain out until June-ish while she recovers from ankle surgery. Both Shepard and Smith departed for Dallas, although Dorka Juhasz is set to return.

This season, Howard has a real chance to hold down the frontcourt for the Lynx until Collier returns. If you were to bet $10, the payout would be $1,010. While she's past her prime, Howard is still a solid defender.

2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Prediction

Alanna Smith

• I'm going with the 2025 Co-Defensive Player of the Year here. I'm really impressed with what I've seen from Smith in the preseason, and although she has to adjust to a new system and team, she is a top candidate for me. Not to mention, this is an incredible futures value pick at +1000 odds. I'm excited to see how Smith meshes with Shepard, and how well she can hold down the four and five. Either way, she should have a massive role leading a frontcourt, which was nearly abysmal last season.