Three Storm Players Named to WNBA All-Defensive Teams
August 30, 2022 – Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) – Seattle Storm News Release
SEATTLE – The Seattle Storm was well represented on the WNBA’s All-Defensive teams announced today as Breanna Stewart was named to the first team with Ezi Magbegor and Gabby Williams each earning second-team recognition.
Stewart earned all-defensive honors for the fourth time in her career, making her first appearance on the first team, while Magbegor and Williams each received all-defensive recognition for the first time in the careers. This was the second time the Storm has placed three players on the all-defensive teams in one season.
In addition to being the league’s all-around best offensive player, Stewart posted impressive defensive numbers in 2022 as well. She ranked second in the WNBA in defensive win shares (0.183), seventh in defensive rating (94.7), tied for fourth in steals (1.6 spg) and was 16th in blocked shots (0.9 bpg). Stewart has been named to the WNBA’s all-defensive teams in four of the six seasons she has played in the league.
Magbegor posted career-best numbers on the defensive end including finishing second in the league with 1.8 blocked shots per game-double her 2021 season average. She is just the fifth Storm player to average at least 1.8 bpg before turning 23, joining Stewart and Storm great Lauren Jackson. According to the formula calculated by Basketball Reference, her 1.9 defensive win shares were tied for the 14th-best by a player age 22 or younger in league history.
Williams finished the season as one of the best lockdown defenders in the league and ranked eighth in steals (1.5 spg), 11th in defensive win shares (0.142) and 13th in defensive rating (95.6). She also finished fifth among qualifiers in steal percentage (2.6%) with the team’s defensive rating dropping nearly two points per 100 possessions when she was off the court from 95.6 with her on to 97.5 with her off-the second-largest change on the team.
The trio helped Seattle’s defense finish the 2022 season ranked among the best in the WNBA: opp. 3pt FG% (1st – 32.0%), points allowed (3rd – 78.4 opp ppg), blocks (3rd – 4.2 bpg), defensive rating (3rd – 97.4), opp FG% (4th – 43.4%), turnovers forced (3rd – 15.6/gm), and steals (3rd – 8.3 spg). In addition, Seattle held teams to 80 points or fewer in 24 of 36 games, going 20-4 in those games.
Seattle continues its quest for a record fifth WNBA Championship on Wednesday, facing the top-seeded Las Vegas Aces in Game 2 of the WNBA Semifinals at 7:00 p.m. PT at Michelob ULTRA Arena. The teams square off in Game 3 in Seattle on Sunday, Sept. 4, with limited tickets still available. Visit StormBasketball.com for more information.
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