WNBAnything Rankings 2024: Perimeter Defensive Stoppers
This week we're ranking the players tasked with slowing down the WNBA's superstar scoring guards
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After the week we've all had within WNBA discourse, I wanted to make sure I talked about actual basketball in this column. Too much of the discussion this week has had nothing to do with the game. There have also been far too many people who seem to want WNBA players to stop trying to prevent the other team from scoring. So we're looking at 2024's best perimeter defensive stoppers. We're only going to allow one per team, so you have to be your squad's designated go-to defender when the opposition has that one primary scoring weapon who scares the hell out of everybody. Who gets the job of chasing them around all night, and who's most likely to succeed?
12. Unknown, Dallas
I don't know who to list for the Wings, whose starting perimeter lately has been an international rookie, a star scorer not known for her defensive focus, and a player whose defense kept her off the floor as a rookie last year. The job may have been intended for Jaelyn Brown, who's still only appeared in one game due to injury and illness, and Satou Sabally would've been an option before a shoulder injury took her out for the opening months of the season. This patchwork perimeter defense is likely a central part of the Wings being ninth in defensive rating, where they've been mired for over a decade in that category. They have a lot of size and length to help out inside but you're not worried about anyone shutting down your scorers on the perimeter. Arike Ogunbowale has improved significantly on the defensive side of the ball in recent years, and is grabbing plenty of steals this year, but certainly isn't any kind of stopper yet.
11. Kristy Wallace, Indiana
She's doing everything she can, but when a team is this bad defensively as a group, it's hard to rate the work of any individual defender particularly highly. Wallace was brought into the starting lineup largely to help the defense, which was struggling with Katie Lou Samuelson at the 3. They're still not exactly good - any team with Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell spending lots of time together on the perimeter isn't likely to put up great defensive numbers - but their defensive rating is 12.7 points per 100 possessions better when Wallace is on the floor, according to WNBA.com's statistics. This early in the season, every stat you see is going to be noisy and subject to small sample sizes, but she appears to be helping. At least it gives the Fever someone on the perimeter who puts up some resistance.
10. Kia Nurse, Los Angeles
Somewhat similar to Dallas, but not to quite the same extreme, LA are this low in the rankings because I wasn't entirely sure who to pick. They don't really have a singular perimeter stopper who gets the toughest assignment every night. More often it's just decided by size, given Lexie Brown to Nurse to Rickea Jackson is a jump each time (and things haven't been much different when Layshia Clarendon’s been healthy). Aari McDonald may be their most impactful perimeter defender, but she's both coming off the bench and primarily used against certain types of opposing players. She can annoy the hell out of small ballhandlers, but you'd be worried about putting her on big wings who could overpower or shoot over her.
9. Diamond DeShields, Chicago
This might be a little low, especially considering Chicago have been feisty as a group to open the season. But DeShields has missed a couple of games, and the numbers actually indicate Marina Mabrey as more of a defensive difference maker this early in the year (although she's spent so little time on the bench that the on/off numbers are working with a very small sample of 'off'). However, it's DeShields who's usually tasked with taking the primary opposing scorer when she's on the floor, and she's been doing a solid job this year. They're still managing her minutes - and finding time for Chennedy Carter has also often meant benching DeShields - but it's nice to see Diamond back at something approaching full strength after all her health issues.
8. Ariel Atkins/Brittney Sykes, Washington
It's been such a rough start to the season for the Mystics that their pair of perennial All-Defensive team wings are pushed this low. Sykes has only played in two games due to a left ankle injury, which has played its part in their losing streak. Atkins is doing her best as the only currently present member of the fearsome Cloud/Atkins/Sykes trio from last season, and the on/off numbers indicate the Mystics are wildly better defensively when she plays. Unfortunately it hasn't been enough, and even with her out there she only drags them up to around a league average defensive rating. As a franchise the Mystics are already thinking about 2025 and beyond, and for defensive awards their players may have to follow suit.
7. Natasha Cloud, Phoenix
Cloud can still be a fearsome perimeter defender, physical and long and just generally annoying for opposing scorers. But with how scrambled Phoenix's defense has been so far this year, she hasn't had that many opportunities to illustrate those skills. She's still been useful to the Mercury, but more for her versatility than anything else. We've seen her as the initial defender on people like Tina Charles and A'ja Wilson, or just within Phoenix's switchy schemes guarding practically anyone who's nearby. Maybe when Brittney Griner returns from injury we'll see more traditional defensive schemes and Cloud in a more natural role, but for now she drops a little lower than you might expect on this particular list. Also, before moving on from the Mercury, a note for Sophie Cunningham. Despite being used in some super-small lineups and gimmick zone defenses that practically have her playing center at times, the Mercury have been 16.6 points per 100 possessions better defensively with her on the floor this year. Again, it's 'small sample size theatre' to a certain extent, but that's a striking number.
6. Kayla McBride, Minnesota
Now that we're into the top half, it's getting tough to choose between some very good options, all of whom may well end up receiving All-Defensive team votes at the end of the season. McBride's only this low because she isn't exactly used as a specific stopper, with Bridget Carleton and Courtney Williams also trusted perimeter defenders for the Lynx. Minnesota's successful defense this year has been based more on collective defensive effort and communication - as all good team defenses are - rather than asking individuals to shut down specific opponents. That said, McBride is an underrated defender who does a consistent and impressive job trailing her assignment, and is virtually always in the right place. She's also worked hard to improve her defense from where it was earlier in her career, and despite nearing 32 years of age isn't showing any drop-off in performance yet.
5. Jewell Loyd, Seattle
This might even be a little low for Loyd, and the fact that she appears on a list like this is why she'll likely be the starting two-guard for Team USA at the Olympics in a couple of months. She's become a genuine two-way guard, often taking on major defensive assignments while carrying a heavy load offensively for the Storm. Many high-scoring guards are hidden as much as possible on the defensive end, either to save their energy or due to their lack of defensive ability (or both). Loyd doesn't hide, and that's been particularly evident this year as Skylar Diggins-Smith settles back in to WNBA basketball and the Storm work out what they're doing at the 3 with Victoria Vivians and Jordan Horston sharing time. Again it's a small off-court sample because Loyd sits so rarely, but the Storm have been 16.6 points per 100 possessions better defensively when she's been on the floor. Her shooting percentages have been ugly in the early stages of the season, but she's still doing her job on defense very effectively.
4. Allisha Gray, Atlanta
Having just looked at someone who's strongly backed by the advanced numbers, with this one you're going to have to trust my eye-test (or your own, if you've been watching the games). Atlanta aren't a great defensive team, but under the tutelage of Tanisha Wright they are a very solid one, and Gray's their perimeter rock. Rhyne Howard has the size and length - and maybe ought to be playing the 4 in some lineups, an option we virtually never see - but Gray is the one tasked with chasing the league's primary scoring guards through traffic and around screens. She's been a strong and solid defender back to her Dallas days, when she was helping cover for Ogunbowale as much as possible. In Atlanta this year she's been part of a giant perimeter group with Howard and Haley Jones, which at times has required her to provide the quickness necessary to cover speedy guards. The on/off numbers don't show it yet but she's only spent 54 minutes on the bench so far this season. Expect them to swing around, and Gray to be on some All-Defensive ballots by the end of the year.
3. DiJonai Carrington, Connecticut
Again, for now, you have to ignore the on/off numbers in order to defend this placement. But Carrington has been the chosen defender to chase and harass the best perimeter scorers in the WNBA this year for the team with easily the best defense in the league. She's quick but physical, and smart enough to defend towards her help with the frontcourt of DeWanna Bonner, Alyssa Thomas and Brionna Jones behind her. The Sun brought in veteran perimeter players in the offseason, such as Rachel Banham, Tiffany Mitchell and Moriah Jefferson, but it's been last year's backups Carrington and Tyasha Harris who've stepped up so far in starting roles. A little more efficiency offensively from Carrington would be useful for the Sun, but her energy and persistence as a defender is proving very effective.
By the way, purely by the on/off-court numbers this spot should go to Harris, because the Sun have been statistically far more successful defensively with her on the floor this year. But Carrington's the one who gets the assignments.
2. Jackie Young, Las Vegas
Seeing Young's name this high in virtually any positive list of WNBA players shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to the league in recent years. She's developed her offensive game dramatically, and this season has essentially been playing point guard in the absence of Chelsea Gray, but her defense hasn't suffered. She was a strong and versatile perimeter defender when she entered the league, and we wondered whether that would be her primary skill; now she does that same stuff while also being an extremely useful offensive weapon. She has the quickness to cover speedy ballhandlers but the size and strength to stick with big wings, which allows her to cover whomever the Aces need her to take on opposing teams. She just quietly does her job and does it very effectively.
Alysha Clark and the much-improved Kelsey Plum also deserve notice for their defense, which is why it's surprising that the Aces are currently only fifth in team defensive rating (especially with Kiah Stokes and back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year A'ja Wilson behind them). Becky Hammon's focus will be on getting that number to improve significantly in the coming months.
1. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, New York
Sometimes the numbers match the eye-test and everything else you need to make a pick. Laney-Hamilton has been outstanding in the opening quarter of the 2024 season at both ends of the floor. Everyone notices when you put the ball in the basket, but her contributions have been most striking on the defensive end. This is a squad that came into the season with everyone questioning whether their perimeter defense would hold them back from taking another step. Then they got blown out by Chicago in preseason and the sky was falling, according to some. And let's face it, Courtney Vandersloot is an okay perimeter defender and Sabrina Ionescu is bad, which puts a lot of responsibility on Laney-Hamilton's shoulders. Ever since this squad was assembled in New York she knew that would have to be her role on the defensive end, and she's been even more successful this year. Wing scorers struggle to escape from her, or to get shots off while she's harassing them. Ball denial and physical competition with opposing players can often make it hard for them to even get the ball to begin with. Don't be surprised if there's another campaign for Laney-Hamilton to be involved in the Defensive Player of the Year discussion at the end of the season, even with players like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones - who've both come close to winning it themselves - in the paint behind her.
Just to add the numbers as well, the Liberty have been 15.2 points per 100 possessions better defensively with Laney-Hamilton on the floor this season (they've also been massively better offensively, but that's not relevant here). Maybe you can quibble with some of the exact placements on this list, but you can't deny that Laney-Hamilton deserves to be right near the top.
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Richard:
Thought-provoking article. A few thoughts:
- When Dawn Staley was Head Coach for the U.S.A. 5x5 team, Jewell Loyd became her go-to defender and, as you note, I think that will hold in 2024 with this year's squad.
- I'm seeing less and less of Diamond DeShields in the Chicago lineup recently, so I've got to think Marina Mabrey is the option there. Every time I see her, she's chasing around Caitlin Clark and others.
BTW, Coach Witherspoon's preference for playing Chennedy Carter and Dana Evans together magnifies the need for Mabrey to be the defensive stop-gap and the half-court initiator because Carter and Evans both go into hunting-shots mode when together. That of course is counter to the whole reason Chicago has Mabey. But I digress...
- K-Mac has been a fine defender as far back as her ND days.
- Carrington is a massive, pain-in-the-you-know-what defender, which is what the Sun wants. She also plays the passing lanes well.
- Laney-Hamilton and Kayla Thornton are a great one-two punch.