Candace Parker has been named the 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year the league announced today.
Parker earned 16 votes from a total of 47 from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Seattle Storm forward Alysha Clark finished with second place with 11 overall votes and Connecticut Sun forward Alyssa Thomas finished with 10. Briana Turner (Phoenix Mercury) earned four, Breanna Stewart (Seattle Storm) got three, Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) received two and Natasha Howard (Seattle Storm) finished with one rounded out the voting.
This was Parker’s 13th WNBA season. She ranked first in the league in defensive rebounds averaging 8.0 rebounds per game, 1.2 blocks and 1.2 steals during her 22 regular season games this year. Parker finished with 10 or more rebounds in nine games this season. Her efforts help lead the Sparks to third in WNBA defensive rating allowing 98.8 points per 100 possessions.
Parker averaged 14.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists and shot 51-percent from the field. Parker’s presence also aided in limiting opponents to the second lowest in the league at 31.1 points per game in the paint.
The six-foot-four forward was the steady and consistent force for the Sparks this year, often times finishing with double-doubles. The Sparks had an overall record of 15-7 and 3rd place finish in the regular season and were knocked out of the second round of the WNBA Playoffs by the Connecticut Sun last week.
In earning Defensive Player of the Year, Parker will receive a bonus of $5,150 and a Tiffany & Co. trophy.
