Minnesota’s Napheesa Collier is the Defensive Player of the Year and Cheryl Reeve is the Coach of the Year

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Napheesa Collier was voted the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year and Cheryl Reeve won Coach of the Year on Sunday.

Collier won the defensive award for the first time, receiving 36 votes from a national media panel of 67 people. A’ja Wilson finished second with 26 votes.

The Lynx star ranked second in the league in steals per game (1.91), was fourth in defensive rebounds per game (7.5) and seventh in blocks per game (1.41), finishing with career highs in career in both categories.

She helped Minnesota finish second in the league in defensive rating (94.8) and fewest points allowed (75.6).

Collier led the Lynx to the second-best record in the league (30-10) under Reeve, who won the coach’s award for a record fourth time. Reeve received 62 of 67 votes for Coach of the Year. Sandy Brondello of New York had four votes and Christie Sides of Indiana received one.

Reeve also won WNBA Basketball Executive of the Year for the second time. Seattle Storm’s Talisa Rhea finished second.

Reeve broke a tie with Van Chancellor of the Houston Comets (1997-99) and Mike Thibault of the Connecticut Sun and Washington Mystics (2006, 2008 and 2013), who each won coach of the year three times. Reeve was previously honored in 2011, 2016 and 2020.

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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball