Defensive stalwarts drop out of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) rankings after week 6 as other stars sharpen defensive resolve

The highly-contested WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (DPOY) got more interesting after defensive stalwarts missed games due to injuries and the arrival of EuroBasket. Napheesa Collier, who played only one game last week, dropped out of the top 5. A’ja Wilson is in the same boat and working to get her rhythm back after multiple games missed due to a concussion.

Like Collier and Wilson, Leonie Fiebich is out of the top 5. The German’s commitment to EuroBasket is a big reason the New York Liberty’s top-ranked defense has faltered.

While some known defensive stars are out, others have stepped up. With more basketball left, the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year race should continue to heat up.

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2025 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Power Rankings after Week 6

#5 Sabrina Ionescu

Sabrina Ionescu makes her debut in the top 5 of WNBA Defensive Player of the Year rankings. With Leonie Fiebich out, Ionescu, who has been superb this year, has taken more defensive duties. Among players with at least 12 games played, the sharpshooting guard is fifth in defensive win shares (0.209).

New York’s once suffocating defense has dropped over the past few weeks, but Ionescu has held up. She deserves her spot in the latest DPOY rankings.

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#4 Kayla McBride

Like Ionescu, Kayla McBride grabs a spot in the top 5 of the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year race. While Napheesa Collier has been out or limited, McBride has helped hold the fort defensively for the Minnesota Lynx.

Minnesota (94.5 DRTG) is now a shade behind New York (94.4 DRTG) for the best defensive rating in the league. McBride, averaging 1.3 steals per game, has had a big impact on defense for the Lynx.

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#3. Natasha Cloud

Natasha Cloud had a rough two games defensively, but her overall body of work has kept her at No. 3 in the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year rankings. Cloud has more on her plate without Leonie Fiebich, who owns the best defensive rating in the WNBA for players with at least nine games.

Cloud averages 1.6 SPG and remains a pesky opponent for perimeter players. If she can adjust well without Fiebich and Jonquel Jones patrolling the paint, she should still be a fixture on the list.

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#2. Satou Sabally

Satou Sabally remains as impactful on offense as on defense. She moves two steps up from last week’s WNBA Defensive Player of the Year rankings after another solid week for the Phoenix Mercury. Sabally’s 0.99 defensive win shares is the best on a team ranked third in the defensive rating (97.3 DRTG).

Sabally could move up the DPOY rankings if the player who holds the No. 1 spot continues to miss games.

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#1. Jonquel Jones

The New York Liberty are 10-3 this season. In each of those losses, Jonquel Jones sat out with an injury or was limited. The reigning WNBA Finals MVP has been dealing with an ankle injury but returned on Tuesday to help her team beat the Atlanta Dream 86-81. Without Jones, the defending champs might have been mired in a 0-4 slump.

Jones is the Liberty’s most effective interior deterrent. She forces opponents to make just 16.9% of their shots in the paint. Without her and Fiebich, the defending champs lost a significant part of their defensive edge.

Jonquel Jones likely drops from pole position in the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year rankings due to an ankle injury. The Liberty can’t wait to have her back.