As the age old saying goes, “Defense wins championships.” But defending top talent in the WNBA has become even more challenging this season.
The league has placed an emphasis on freedom of movement to address growing physicality and rough play in the game, which has resulted in an uptick of fouls being called as teams adjust to the new demarcation line. Some teams have adapted better than others at the quarter mark of the season.
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Which players from each team has had the hardest time adjusting to the new whistle so far? USA TODAY Sports breaks it all down in this week’s WNBA power rankings, released every Tuesday this season.
MORE FOULS, MORE FRUSTRATIONS: What’s really going on with WNBA officiating?
Previous rank: 1 (⬌)
Who’s leading team in fouls? F Natasha Howard
The Minnesota Lynx have the best defensive rating in the league, allowing opponents the second-fewest points in the paint per game. Natasha Howard, the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year, has been excellent for the Lynx on both sides of the ball. She’s averaging 17.8 points, a team-high 7.4 rebounds and a career-high 3.0 assists in 14 games (all starts). Howard also leads the team is 3.7 fouls per game. She’s fouled out of two games.
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Previous rank: 3 (⬆1)
Who’s leading every team in fouls? F NaLyssa Smith
The Las Vegas Aces picked up a thrilling 100-97 win over the Minnesota Lynx to extend their win streak to six games, but the string of wins was unceremoniously snapped in a 30-point loss to the Dallas Wings on Monday. Smith is averaging a career-high 11.2 points in 23.2 minutes per game this season, but has struggled to defend without fouling at times. Smith leads the team with 3.0 fouls per game in 12 starts.
Previous rank: 5 (⬆2)
Worst acquisition: G Pauline Astier / C Jonquel Jones
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The New York Liberty hold the longest win streak in the league with seven consecutive victories and clinched a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup championship with their 86-64 win over the Washington Mystics on Sunday. Jonquel Jones scored 17 of her game-high 20 points in the second half of the win. Jones is averaging a near double-double with 13.8 points and 9.2 rebounds per game in 13 starts. Jones and Pauline Astier lead the team with an average of 3.1 fouls per game. Astier is averaging 11.3 points and a team-high 3.9 assists per game.
Previous rank: 4 (⬌)
Who’s leading team in fouls? F Angel Reese
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Angel Reese leads the league in double-doubles this season with nine across 13 starts, including her 15-point, 17-rebound performance in the Dream’s 102-77 win over the Toronto Tempo, where Reese was on the receiving end of a Flagrant 2 foul by Isabelle Harrison. Reese leads the league in another category. She’s tied with Caitlin Clark for the most technical fouls this season with four and is averaging a team-high 3.6 fouls per game.
5. Dallas Wings (9-5)
Previous rank: 2 (⬇3)
Who’s leading team in fouls? G Paige Bueckers / F Alanna Smith
Dallas Wings first-year coach Jose Fernandez challenged his team to play defense and they’ve done so without fouling. The Wings average the third-lowest amount of fouls per game (18.2) and surrendered the fewest free-throw attempts to opponents per game (17.4). Paige Bueckers and Alanna Smith average a team-high 2.7 fouls per game. Bueckers is averaging a career-high 19.8 points per game, while Smith has struggled to find her footing in Dallas with 3.4 points per game in seven starts.
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Previous rank: 7 (⬆1)
Who’s leading team in fouls? G Veronica Burton
The Golden State Valkyries secured two narrow victories last week over the Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm, respectively. Through 13 starts this season, Veronica Burton is averaging a career-high 24.4 points and a team-high 29.2 minutes per game while averaging 3.7 fouls. The Valkyries rank top five in the league in both offensive and defensive ranking.
Previous rank: 8 (⬆1)
Who’s leading team in fouls? C Aliyah Boston / G Caitlin Clark
No team fouls more in the WNBA than the Indiana Fever, a fact that left Myisha Hines-Allen a little speechless. “That’s bad … we have to l learn to defend without fouling,” she said on June 10. Indiana is averaging a league-high 23.9 fouls per game and has sent opponents to the free-throw line about 25.5 times per game, the second-highest total in the league. Aliyah Boston has become all too familiar with foul trouble as she’s averaging a career-high 3.7 fouls per game in 12 games (all starts). Caitlin Clark is also averaging a 3.7 fouls and is tied with Angel Reese for a league-high four technical fouls.
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Previous rank: 9 (⬆1)
Who’s leading team in fouls? F Cameron Brink
Cameron Brink is averaging 9.2 points off the bench for the Sparks this season, but leads the team in personal fouls with 3.9 per game. Brink has fouled out two times this season, including the Sparks’ 106-96 loss to the Toronto Tempo on May 17, where she had seven points in 18 minutes of play.
9. Toronto Tempo (7-7)
Previous rank: 6 (⬇2)
Who’s leading team in fouls? F Laura Juskaite
The Toronto Tempo average the fourth-most personal fouls (22.6) in the league and give up an average 23.2 free-throw attempts to opponents. Laura Juskaite leads the league total fouls (56) and ranks first in the league in fouls per game (4.0) for players that have appeared in 10 games or more. Juskaite is averaging 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 13 games (11 starts) and has racked up five fouls in seven games so far.
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Previous rank: 10 (⬌)
Who’s leading team in fouls? F Luisa Geiselsöder
The Fire secured a 84-83 win over the Dallas Wings on June 13. Bridget Carelton lead the way with a team-high 20 points, while Luisa Geiselsöder added seven points in 14 minutes off the bench. Geiselsöder is averaging 5.3 points across 15 games (seven starts) and leads the team with 2.9 fouls per game.
11. Washington Mystics (4-6)
Previous rank: 11 (⬌)
Who leads team in fouls? F Kiki Iriafen
The Washington Mystics get to the free-throw line more than any other team. The Mystics are averaging 25.8 free-throw attempts per game. Kiki Iriafen has increased her scoring average from 13.3 points in her rookie season to 14.6 points in 10 starts. Her personal fouls are also up as she is averaging 3.2 in 25.7 minutes per game.
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12. Phoenix Mercury (4-11)
Previous rank: 14 (⬆2)
Who leads team in fouls? G Monique Akoa Makani
The Phoenix Mercury’s identity is rooted in its defense and they’ve had success in adjusting to the new whistle. The Mercury average 18.7 personal fouls per game, which ranks the fourth lowest in the league. Monique Akoa Makani is averaging a career-high 11.1 points across eight games (all starts), while committing about 3.3 fouls per game.
Previous rank: 13 (⬌)
Who’s leading team in fouls? G Natasha Cloud
After getting off to a promising 3-1 start, the Chicago Sky has lost eight of its last nine games. After signing with the Sky on May 4, Cloud is averaging a career-high 3.9 fouls per game through 12 games including six starts.
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14. Seattle Storm (3-12)
Previous rank: 14 (⬌)
Who’s leading team in fouls? C Stefanie Dolson
The Seattle Storm are in midst of an eight-game losing streak. The Storm rank in the middle of the league in fouls called per game, averaging 20.5 fouls per game. Stefanie Dolson is averaging 5.4 points in 15 games (12 starts) and leads the team with 3.1 fouls per game.
Previous rank: 15 (⬌)
Who’s leading team in fouls? G Leila Lacan
The Connecticut Sun are called for the second-most fouls in the league (23.7), trailing only the Indiana Fever. Leila Lacan has played in six games this season after returning from overseas, but leads the Sun with 4.3 fouls per game.
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Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@gannett.com and follow her on X at @CydHenderson.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: WNBA power rankings: Which players are struggling with the new whistle
