NEW YORK, United States, October 15, 2026: Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson and Gabby Williams headline the WNBA’s 2026 All-Defensive First Team, but the league’s latest honors have also revealed something remarkable about the championship series beginning Saturday. Six of the 10 players selected across the First and Second Teams represent the Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries, who will meet in the Finals on October 17 at Chase Center in San Francisco. Atlanta and Golden State each have three honorees, providing a striking endorsement of the defensive foundations behind their unexpected rise to the championship stage.
Reese, who won Defensive Player of the Year earlier this month, joins Atlanta teammate Rhyne Howard on the First Team, while Jordin Canada earns a Second Team selection. Golden State is represented by First Team forward Gabby Williams and Second Team players Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes. Washington’s Shakira Austin completes the First Team alongside Wilson, with Mystics guard Sonia Citron and New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart rounding out the Second Team. The selections arrive after Golden State and Atlanta eliminated the WNBA’s two most recent champions, turning a regular-season defensive honor into an unusually revealing preview of the battle for the 2026 title.
2026 WNBA All-Defensive Teams: Complete First and Second Team Selections
The 10 honorees represent five franchises, with Atlanta and Golden State accounting for six selections between them.
2026 WNBA All-Defensive First Team
| Player | Team | Primary Defensive Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Angel Reese | Atlanta Dream | Rebounding, steals and interior disruption |
| A’ja Wilson | Las Vegas Aces | Shot-blocking, rim protection and defensive versatility |
| Gabby Williams | Golden State Valkyries | Perimeter pressure and versatile wing defense |
| Rhyne Howard | Atlanta Dream | Steals, passing-lane disruption and perimeter coverage |
| Shakira Austin | Washington Mystics | Interior defense, rebounding and rim protection |
2026 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team
| Player | Team | Primary Defensive Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Veronica Burton | Golden State Valkyries | Point-of-attack defense and perimeter disruption |
| Jordin Canada | Atlanta Dream | Ball pressure, steals and guard defense |
| Sonia Citron | Washington Mystics | Perimeter assignments and positional discipline |
| Breanna Stewart | New York Liberty | Help defense, rebounding and shot-blocking |
| Kiah Stokes | Golden State Valkyries | Interior positioning, rebounding and rim protection |
The selections recognize regular-season defensive performances. They are distinct from the Defensive Player of the Year award, which was announced separately on October 1.
Reese, Austin, Citron and Stokes earned their first All-Defensive selections. Howard moved from the Second Team in 2025 to the First Team in 2026, while Williams and Wilson retained First Team recognition.
The greatest concentration of selections belongs to the two WNBA Finals participants.
Six of the 10 Honorees Will Represent the WNBA Finals Teams
The distribution of the awards is arguably the most interesting result of Thursday’s announcement.
| Franchise | First Team | Second Team | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Dream | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Golden State Valkyries | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Washington Mystics | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Las Vegas Aces | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| New York Liberty | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 5 | 5 | 10 |
Atlanta and Golden State account for 60 percent of all selections and three of the five First Team positions.
That concentration is consistent with the teams’ defensive records.
Golden State finished the regular season with the WNBA’s best defensive rating at approximately 99.1 points allowed per 100 possessions.
Atlanta ranked among the league’s strongest defenses with a rating of 103.5.
Washington also performed well, posting a defensive rating close to 104.0 despite fielding one of the league’s youngest rosters.
Defensive rating estimates points allowed per 100 possessions. Lower values indicate stronger performance on that measure.
The metric adjusts for possession volume, making it more informative than simply comparing the number of points teams concede per game.
It does not independently measure every aspect of defensive quality, including opponent shot difficulty, individual assignment complexity or the influence of a team’s offensive turnovers.
The Playoffs Have Revealed a Different Defensive Order
Golden State owned the strongest regular-season defense, but Atlanta entered the Finals with the better postseason defensive rating.
| Team | Regular-Season Defensive Rating | Postseason Defensive Rating Before Finals |
|---|---|---|
| Golden State Valkyries | 99.1 | 104.1 |
| Atlanta Dream | 103.5 | 102.0 |
The numbers reveal an important difference.
Atlanta improved its defensive efficiency during the playoffs, while Golden State’s postseason rating was higher than its regular-season mark.
That does not automatically establish that Atlanta has become the superior defense.
Playoff opponents, game situations and the much smaller postseason sample affect the comparison.
However, it demonstrates that the Dream have raised their defensive effectiveness when the competition became more demanding.
Both teams swept their semifinal opponents to reach the championship series.
Atlanta eliminated the New York Liberty, while Golden State defeated the Las Vegas Aces.
The league’s two most recent champions will therefore watch the Finals rather than contest them.
Angel Reese Completes Her First All-Defensive Selection With a Historic Season
Angel Reese’s First Team selection follows her October 1 recognition as the 2026 Kia WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.
She received 46 of the 74 votes cast by the award’s media panel, approximately 62.2 percent of the total.
Gabby Williams finished second with 20 votes, while A’ja Wilson received four.
Shakira Austin earned two votes, with Rhyne Howard and Veronica Burton receiving one apiece.
These were the Defensive Player of the Year voting results, not the separate All-Defensive Team ballot totals.
The WNBA’s official Defensive Player of the Year announcement confirms the voting and identifies Reese as the first Atlanta Dream player to win the award.
How Dominant Was Reese on the Glass?
Reese led the WNBA with 12.1 rebounds per game.
She also recorded 77 steals, averaging 1.8 per game, and ranked third in the league in both steals per game and total steals.
Her 315 defensive rebounds ranked third overall.
Those numbers demonstrate how her influence extends across different defensive situations.
A defensive rebound ends an opponent’s possession when the ball is successfully secured after a missed shot.
A steal can eliminate a scoring opportunity before a shot is attempted and create a transition opportunity for the other team.
Reese provided both.
Her rebounding also helped Atlanta limit opponents’ opportunities to score after initial misses.
However, rebounding totals alone cannot establish the complete quality of an individual’s defense.
Positioning, communication, help coverage, screening assignments and the effectiveness of surrounding teammates all contribute to results.
Reese’s selection reflects a broader defensive contribution supported by her activity and Atlanta’s overall performance.
Atlanta’s Decision to Acquire Reese Has Been Vindicated
Reese joined Atlanta from the Chicago Sky before the 2026 season.
The move placed one of the league’s strongest rebounders alongside an established backcourt featuring Rhyne Howard, Allisha Gray and Jordin Canada.
The result was a team capable of applying defensive pressure at multiple levels.
Howard and Canada disrupt opponents on the perimeter.
Reese protects possession opportunities through rebounding and adds pressure around the basket.
Atlanta’s defense is especially dangerous when those responsibilities work together.
Pressure on the ball can force rushed decisions. Interior positioning can make the resulting shot more difficult. Securing the rebound then prevents the opponent from extending the possession.
That combination helped Atlanta reach its first WNBA Finals since 2013.
Gabby Williams Turned Golden State Into a Defensive Powerhouse
Gabby Williams’ First Team recognition completes another significant offseason success.
Williams joined Golden State after previously playing for the Seattle Storm, giving the Valkyries a versatile defender capable of handling multiple perimeter assignments.
She averaged 1.6 steals per game during the regular season and finished among the league’s leading players in defensive win shares.
Her impact extended beyond defensive statistics.
Williams also became Golden State’s leading regular-season scorer at 14.4 points per game.
That combination made her an important two-way contributor for a team that finished second in the standings at 32-12.
The Valkyries reached that record in only their second WNBA season.
Williams and Reese Were the WNBA’s Most Anticipated Offseason Acquisitions
One of the most revealing details about Thursday’s announcement comes from before the season began.
In the WNBA’s annual general managers’ survey, Reese and Williams tied as the players expected to have the greatest impact after joining new teams.
Each received 27 percent of the vote in that category.
The official 2026 WNBA General Managers Survey records their shared first-place finish.
Six months later, both players are All-Defensive First Team selections.
More importantly, their teams are about to play for the championship.
The correspondence between preseason expectations and postseason achievement is striking.
The survey was a prediction by league executives, not proof that either player alone caused her team’s success.
Both franchises also benefited from other roster decisions, coaching, established personnel and collective improvements.
Nevertheless, the result provides unusual evidence that the league’s executives correctly identified two of its most consequential incoming players.
Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes Complete Golden State’s Defensive Trio
Williams is joined by two teammates on the All-Defensive Second Team.
Veronica Burton provides perimeter pressure and disciplined guard defense, while Kiah Stokes contributes rebounding, interior positioning and rim protection.
The three represent different parts of Golden State’s defensive structure.
Williams can challenge opposing wings and change assignments across the perimeter.
Burton helps disrupt the initial creation of an offensive possession.
Stokes protects the interior and provides another defensive presence around the basket.
When those responsibilities function together, opponents have fewer straightforward routes to high-quality scoring opportunities.
Golden State Already Used Its Defense to Eliminate A’ja Wilson’s Aces
The Valkyries’ defensive identity was tested against Las Vegas in the semifinals.
Golden State won the series 3-0, eliminating the defending champions.
Williams and Burton made particularly important contributions during the second game.
Williams scored 20 points, while Burton made a crucial late three-pointer after the Aces briefly threatened to take control.
The Valkyries also held Las Vegas to 60 points in the opening game.
Golden State eventually completed the sweep with an 87-77 victory in Game 3.
Our analysis of A’ja Wilson’s fifth MVP and Golden State’s semifinal challenge examined how the Valkyries’ defensive pressure, bench contributions and late-game execution threatened Las Vegas’ championship defense.
Thursday’s awards place that postseason performance within the wider context of Golden State’s season.
The league’s top-ranked defense was built around several individually recognized contributors.
A’ja Wilson Adds Another Defensive Honor to Her Historic Fifth MVP
For A’ja Wilson, another All-Defensive First Team selection extends an extraordinary individual season.
Wilson won her fifth WNBA Most Valuable Player award earlier in October, becoming the first player in league history to collect five MVP titles.
She averaged 26.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals during the regular season.
Her 1.9 blocks per game led the league.
Wilson’s influence differs from the perimeter pressure associated with Williams or Howard.
She can protect the rim, contest shots near the basket and alter offensive decisions through positioning.
Her mobility also gives Las Vegas defensive flexibility when opposing teams use screens or attempt to create mismatches.
The First Team honor recognizes that contribution even though the Aces failed to reach the Finals.
Why Wilson’s Selection Matters After Las Vegas’ Elimination
The award provides another reminder that individual recognition and championship results measure different achievements.
Wilson was the league’s MVP.
She was also selected to the All-Defensive First Team.
Las Vegas nevertheless lost to Golden State in the semifinals.
The outcome demonstrates the limits of evaluating team performance solely through its most decorated player.
Basketball requires coordinated defensive rotations, reliable rebounding, offensive execution and sufficient contributions throughout a roster.
Wilson’s 2026 achievements remain historically significant regardless of the playoff result.
Her defensive reputation also has international significance.
When Wilson withdrew from the United States’ FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup squad earlier this season, the national team had to redistribute her interior defensive responsibilities.
TSE’s examination of Wilson’s World Cup withdrawal explored how her absence affected the balance of the American frontcourt.
That international context reinforces the versatility that makes her valuable across competition formats.
Shakira Austin and Sonia Citron Show How Washington Built an Elite Defense
The Washington Mystics did not reach the WNBA Finals, but their two selections provide another important storyline.
Shakira Austin earned First Team recognition, while Sonia Citron was named to the Second Team.
Both received All-Defensive honors for the first time.
Washington achieved its defensive results while fielding one of the youngest rosters in the league.
Austin Provided Interior Strength and Defensive Rebounding
Austin completed the regular season with 408 total rebounds and 51 blocks.
She averaged 9.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.
Her defensive role involved protecting the basket, controlling interior positioning and helping teammates recover when perimeter opponents advanced into dangerous areas.
The combination of rebounds and blocks reflects two different defensive skills.
Blocking shots can prevent an immediate scoring attempt from succeeding.
Rebounding can end a possession after a missed shot.
Austin provided both while also becoming one of Washington’s leading offensive contributors.
Citron’s Perimeter Defense Earns Recognition at 22
Sonia Citron’s Second Team selection is particularly notable given her age.
At 22, she has already established a reputation for handling difficult perimeter defensive assignments.
Her individual defensive rating of approximately 101.7 ranked among the strongest marks for guards playing at least 30 minutes per game.
That figure supports her recognition, although individual defensive ratings are influenced by lineup context and should not be treated as a direct measure of isolation defending ability.
Washington’s defensive progress also provides evidence of how quickly younger players can become dependable contributors.
The development of new talent across the league was examined in TSE’s report on the 2026 All-Rookie Team, which highlighted several players making unusually rapid professional progress.
Austin and Citron represent a related but distinct achievement: becoming recognized defenders within a developing team structure.
Rhyne Howard and Jordin Canada Give Atlanta the League’s Most Dangerous Steals Combination
Atlanta’s three selections are particularly significant because of the different roles played by Reese, Howard and Canada.
Howard finished the regular season as the WNBA’s leading player in steals per game at approximately 2.3.
Canada also ranked among the league’s leading steal producers.
Reese finished third at 1.8 per game.
That placed three Atlanta players among the league’s most active defenders in creating turnovers.
Steals can generate immediate scoring opportunities before opponents have time to organize their defense.
Atlanta benefited from that connection throughout the season.
The Dream averaged 9.1 steals per game during the regular season and increased that figure to approximately 10.4 during the playoffs.
They also generated 18.1 points per game off turnovers during the regular season and 24.4 during the postseason entering the Finals.
The relationship is important because the Dream’s defense frequently contributes to their offensive production.
Howard and Canada can pressure ball handlers or disrupt passing lanes.
Reese can recover loose balls, secure rebounds and help initiate transition opportunities.
When Atlanta produces steals, it can attack opponents before they establish their half-court defensive structure.
Canada’s Playoff Contributions Extend Beyond Defense
Canada’s value has been especially visible during the postseason.
She became an important offensive contributor while Atlanta dealt with lineup disruptions involving other players.
Her playmaking and scoring helped the Dream sweep New York in three games.
The final semifinal contest ended 85-83, with Atlanta resisting another late Liberty challenge.
Canada contributed 19 points and 11 assists in that victory.
Reese scored 22, while Howard added 21.
The result demonstrated that Atlanta’s defensive specialists also possess enough offensive ability to influence close postseason games.
That balance will be essential against Golden State.
Breanna Stewart Remains Among the WNBA’s Most Versatile Defenders
Breanna Stewart’s Second Team selection recognizes another season of high-level defensive contribution.
The New York Liberty forward averaged 8.3 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks during the regular season.
Her role combines several responsibilities.
She can contest shots, provide help defense, rebound and defend different types of opponents depending on lineup combinations.
Those qualities remain valuable even when the team’s overall defensive results fluctuate.
New York was eliminated by Atlanta in the semifinals, ending its bid to defend the 2025 WNBA championship.
Stewart’s individual honor demonstrates that strong defensive contributions can remain recognizable despite an unsuccessful postseason outcome.
The Liberty’s elimination also adds another consequence to Thursday’s announcement.
Both Wilson and Stewart have been honored for their individual defensive performances, but neither will participate in the championship series.
Instead, the Finals will feature the teams with the greatest concentration of All-Defensive selections.
How Golden State’s Regular-Season Sweep Changes the Finals Matchup
Golden State enters Saturday’s championship opener having won all three regular-season meetings with Atlanta.
The Valkyries defeated the Dream 77-66 on June 24, 78-75 on June 26 and 88-83 on July 4.
Those results established a useful tactical pattern.
Golden State repeatedly restricted Atlanta’s scoring while maintaining enough offensive production to win.
Across the three games, the Dream averaged approximately 74.7 points.
Atlanta averaged 91.3 points per game across the full regular season.
That is a difference of about 16.6 points.
The comparison does not prove that Golden State will produce the same defensive outcome during the Finals.
The three meetings occurred in a relatively short period, and both teams have changed since July.
Atlanta also added experienced forward DeWanna Bonner later in the season, providing another offensive and postseason option.
What Makes Golden State Difficult for Atlanta to Attack?
Golden State has defenders capable of applying pressure in different areas of the court.
Williams can challenge wings and help disrupt passing sequences.
Burton provides disciplined guard pressure.
Stokes supplies an interior presence and defensive rebounding.
Their collective strength makes it harder for opposing teams to generate uninterrupted attacking possessions.
Atlanta’s offense depends partly on creating opportunities through steals, transition plays and second-chance possessions.
If Golden State protects the ball and limits offensive rebounds, it can reduce some of Atlanta’s most productive scoring opportunities.
That possibility helps explain the importance of Reese’s matchup with the Valkyries’ frontcourt.
Can Reese Give Atlanta More Second-Chance Opportunities?
Reese’s rebounding makes her a central figure in the championship matchup.
The Dream cannot rely exclusively on transition scoring against a defense capable of controlling possessions.
When their initial shots miss, second-chance opportunities could become particularly valuable.
Reese’s ability to recover the ball around the basket can extend possessions and create another scoring opportunity.
Stokes and the other Golden State defenders must therefore limit Atlanta’s access to the offensive glass.
The balance between those responsibilities could influence both the number of possessions and the efficiency of the two offenses.
The challenge is tactical rather than simply individual.
Reese’s impact depends partly on how Atlanta’s guards attack, how Golden State rotates and which players are positioned to secure rebounds.
WNBA Finals 2026: The Defensive Matchups Worth Watching
| Matchup | What It Could Decide |
|---|---|
| Angel Reese vs Golden State’s interior defense | Rebounding control and second-chance possessions |
| Gabby Williams vs Atlanta’s wing offense | Perimeter scoring efficiency and defensive versatility |
| Veronica Burton vs Jordin Canada | Ball security, guard pressure and playmaking |
| Rhyne Howard vs Golden State’s perimeter rotations | Steals, passing-lane access and offensive rhythm |
| Kiah Stokes vs Atlanta’s frontcourt | Interior positioning and limiting putback opportunities |
These are projected tactical contests, not confirmed possession-by-possession assignments.
Coaches may switch defenders, alter lineup combinations or use help coverage depending on the game situation.
The importance of these matchups lies in how they connect individual strengths with team defensive systems.
Golden State and Atlanta Have Followed Different Paths to the WNBA Finals
The championship series will produce a first-time WNBA champion.
Golden State is appearing in the Finals in only its second season as an expansion franchise.
Atlanta returns to the championship stage for the first time since 2013.
The Valkyries finished 32-12, while the Dream completed the regular season at 30-14.
Both teams combined strong defensive systems with meaningful personnel additions.
Their success also reflects different organizational achievements.
Golden State has built a championship contender remarkably quickly.
Atlanta has reconstructed a team capable of challenging established league powers.
The contrast was already visible in the league’s executive awards.
Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve won Executive of the Year after the Lynx recorded the WNBA’s best regular-season record.
Atlanta executive Dan Padover finished second, and Golden State’s Ohemaa Nyanin placed third.
TSE’s analysis of Reeve’s award and the competing roster-building approaches examined why Atlanta and Golden State had become serious championship contenders despite Minnesota’s regular-season success.
Thursday’s All-Defensive selections add another layer to that story.
The two finalists have assembled unusually deep groups of recognized defenders.
Why the 2026 WNBA Finals Carry Commercial Significance Beyond the Court
The upcoming series also arrives during a period of exceptional growth for the WNBA.
The league reported more than 90 million unique viewers across national television partners during the regular season.
Attendance reached approximately 3.8 million, while 212 games sold out.
The numbers demonstrate expanding interest in women’s professional basketball.
However, the highest television audiences remained closely associated with certain franchises and star players, particularly the Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark.
The Sports Encounter’s investigation of the WNBA’s record television and attendance figures examined the difference between broad league growth and the concentrated audience appeal of its biggest individual attractions.
Golden State and Atlanta now have the opportunity to present a championship series built around different stars and distinctive defensive identities.
The Finals could provide another measure of how effectively the WNBA’s expanding audience follows competition beyond its most heavily watched players.
That commercial outcome cannot be established before the games are played and the audience figures are reported.
San Francisco and Atlanta Have Both Responded to Championship Demand
Golden State will host the opening games at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The WNBA has also confirmed that Games 3 and 4 will take place at State Farm Arena in Atlanta after an earlier venue-capacity problem was resolved.
The decision allows the Dream to play those games in a considerably larger arena than Gateway Center Arena.
Golden State’s rise has already strengthened the Bay Area’s position within women’s basketball.
The league selected San Francisco to host the 2027 WNBA All-Star Game, a development examined in our report on the Valkyries’ rapid sporting and commercial growth.
For both franchises, the Finals provide a chance to translate competitive success into broader and more sustained support.
When Does the 2026 WNBA Finals Begin?
Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, with NBC and Peacock carrying the game.
The championship will be decided in a best-of-seven series.
The WNBA’s official Finals preview confirms the schedule, team records and major statistical matchups.
| Game | Date | Host | Start (ET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 17 | Golden State | 3:30 p.m. |
| 2 | October 19 | Golden State | 8:00 p.m. |
| 3 | October 21 | Atlanta | 8:00 p.m. |
| 4 | October 24 | Atlanta | 1:00 p.m. |
| 5, if necessary | October 26 | Golden State | 8:00 p.m. |
| 6, if necessary | October 29 | Atlanta | 8:00 p.m. |
| 7, if necessary | October 31 | Golden State | 8:00 p.m. |
The venue for a potential Game 6 remains subject to confirmation. All times are Eastern.
What Do the All-Defensive Awards Tell Us About the WNBA’s Future?
The selections demonstrate that elite defense is being produced through several different roster-building approaches.
Atlanta acquired Reese and combined her with established guards Howard and Canada.
Golden State added Williams to a group that already contained important defensive contributors.
Washington developed an effective defensive structure around Austin and Citron.
Las Vegas continued to rely on Wilson’s remarkable two-way ability.
New York benefited from Stewart’s versatility even though its championship defense ended in the semifinals.
The contrast is particularly significant because the WNBA continues expanding and introducing new players.
The league’s younger talent pool has attracted considerable attention, particularly following Olivia Miles’ record-setting rookie season.
But Thursday’s defensive awards show that competitive progress involves more than offensive statistics and individual scoring records.
Teams need players capable of disrupting possessions, protecting the basket and maintaining collective defensive organization under postseason pressure.
Those are the qualities that have helped define the two finalists.
How the All-Defensive Selections Could Shape the Championship
The most important outcome of Thursday’s announcement may be how closely it reflects the teams preparing to compete for the title.
Reese, Howard and Canada provide Atlanta with a combination of rebounding, steals and guard pressure.
Williams, Burton and Stokes give Golden State perimeter versatility and interior resistance.
Wilson, Austin, Citron and Stewart have also earned individual recognition for important defensive contributions across the league.
The First and Second Teams therefore recognize several different models of effective defense.
The Finals will test which of the two most heavily represented systems can perform more consistently across a championship series.
Golden State has the stronger regular-season defensive rating and won all three meetings with Atlanta.
The Dream have improved defensively during the postseason and arrive with a Defensive Player of the Year anchoring their frontcourt.
Those differences create meaningful tactical questions.
Can Atlanta’s pressure defense force enough turnovers against Golden State?
Can the Valkyries protect their defensive rebounding position against Reese?
Will Williams and Burton restrict the Dream’s perimeter scoring?
Can Howard and Canada create the transition opportunities that have helped drive Atlanta’s offense?
The awards identify the players most likely to influence those questions.
The championship will determine which team finds the better answers.
2026 WNBA All-Defensive Teams: Frequently Asked Questions
Who Made the 2026 WNBA All-Defensive First Team?
Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson, Gabby Williams, Rhyne Howard and Shakira Austin were selected to the First Team.
Who Made the 2026 WNBA All-Defensive Second Team?
Veronica Burton, Jordin Canada, Sonia Citron, Breanna Stewart and Kiah Stokes were named to the Second Team.
Who Won the 2026 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award?
Angel Reese of the Atlanta Dream won the award, receiving 46 of 74 votes. She became the first Dream player to receive the honor.
How Many All-Defensive Players Are on the WNBA Finals Teams?
Atlanta and Golden State have six honorees between them, representing 60 percent of the 10 selections. Each franchise has three players on the All-Defensive Teams.
Which Atlanta Dream Players Were Selected?
Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard made the First Team, while Jordin Canada earned Second Team recognition.
Which Golden State Valkyries Players Were Selected?
Gabby Williams was selected to the First Team, with Veronica Burton and Kiah Stokes named to the Second Team.
How Many Rebounds Did Angel Reese Average in 2026?
Reese led the WNBA with 12.1 rebounds per game during the regular season. She also averaged 1.8 steals.
Why Was A’ja Wilson Named to the First Team?
Wilson led the WNBA with 1.9 blocks per game and remained one of its most versatile interior defenders while averaging 9.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
Which Team Had the Best Defensive Rating in the WNBA?
Golden State led the 2026 regular season with a defensive rating of approximately 99.1 points allowed per 100 possessions.
When Does the WNBA Finals Series Between Golden State and Atlanta Begin?
Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET at Chase Center in San Francisco. The best-of-seven series will crown a first-time WNBA champion.