The old saying is offense sales tickets and defense win championships. Over the years in the WNBA, there has been a lot of impressive perimeter defenders, here are three players that stuck out to me guarding the perimeter.
Alana Beard
Alana Beard is an excellent defender, arguably the best WNBA perimeter defender of all time. She will get up in you and swipe the ball away with her quick hands. Beard is a 5-time first-team WNBA All-Defense and 4-time second-team All-Defense, she also won Defensive Player of the Year two times in her career. Beard averaged 1.7 steals per game in her career and led the WNBA in steals once. When talking about WNBA top defenders, Beard can not be left off the list.
Teresa Weatherspoon
Weatherspoon was like a pit bull on defense; she would pressure full court and force you into a lot of turnovers. Spoon had quick hands and feet to keep up with any ball handler. She is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time steals leader. Weatherspoon averaged a total of 1.8 steals per game while in her career. If the WNBA kept track of all defensive teams when Weatherspoon played, she would have been on a ton of them. It is a joy to hear Spoon talk about playing defense.
Sheryl Swoopes
You can’t mention defense and not bring up one the best WNBA players off all time. Swoopes was a smart defender; she knew when to play tight on you and when to back off you a bit. She was excellent at playing the passing lanes and creating fast break opportunities for her teammates. Swoopes won Defensive Player of the Year three times and was named to WNBA All-Defensive first-team two times. Also, Swoopes led the WNBA twice in steals and averaged 2 steals a game for her career. Swoopes was an old school two-way player; she loved paying both ends on the floor. Those were the Top Perimeter Defenders In WNBA History.
