On Tuesday, the WNBA named Washington Mystics guards Ariel Atkins and Natasha Cloud to the All-WNBA Defensive First team. Atkins has made the Defensive Team five teams and Cloud two times for their careers. But this is their first time making the first defensive team.
Cloud also earned two votes for Defensive Player of the Year, tied for fifth in the WNBA. Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson won the award this year.
It is not a surprise to see that Atkins and Cloud have made the defensive team, because Washington finished with the WNBA’s best team defensive rating.