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The WNBA continued to face backlash to its end of season awards on Thursday when it unveiled the winner of the Defensive Player of the Year.
For the first time the league's history, there are co-winners of the award with A'ja Wilson and Alanna Smith both being crowned recipients.
The Minnesota Lynx forward and Las Vegas Aces superstar split the vote, both earning 29 votes from the national panel of 72 sportswriters and broadcasters.
Three other players also received votes for Defensive Player of the Year: Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams (9 votes), Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (3 votes) and Smith's Lynx teammate, forward Napheesa Collier (2 votes).
However, the tie sparked fury among fans as they claimed it made the WNBA look like a 'joke' of a league or 'cheap.'
'this league is so trash. since when do players share the same award?,' one social media user asked on X.
A'ja Wilson (right) and Alanna Smith (left) tied for the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year
The league, pictured Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, has faced backlash over the tie
'This is dumb!!!,' another wrote in the replies to the WNBA's announcement post.
'this league is a joke,' claimed a third, while another added that the league was 'not a serious organization.'
'What a fkn joke of a league. Joke,' echoed a fifth.
'a role player and a superstar sharing a season award is interesting lol,' chimed another, seemingly suggesting that Wilson deserved the award more than Smith.
Wilson followed up a historic season last year with another impressive one this year, earning AP Player of the Year for the second straight time last week.
She was also honored as the AP Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four seasons.
The two-time WNBA champion is additionally a huge favorite to win the WNBA MVP for the second straight season.
However, when it came to the WNBA's own Defensive Player of the Year award, Wilson was forced to share it with Smith, who is the go-to rim protector for the Lynx.
Fans on social media claimed it made the WNBA look like a 'joke' of a league or 'cheap'
The Minnesota forward is ranked third in the WNBA with 1.9 blocks per game, behind only Seattle Storm forward Ezi Magbegor (2.2 blocks per game) and Wilson (2.3 blocks per game).
The W sparked fury earlier this week over its awards, after fans claimed that Paige Bueckers received a different treatment than Caitlin Clark when named the league's rookie of the year.
Clark was bestowed the honor in 2024 and received a call from WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, which she took on speaker during an Indiana Fever practice.
Bueckers got a more lavish arrangement for finding out she was this year's top rookie, as Engelbert was waiting for her at the end of the viral 'Spirit Tunnel' as part of her appearance on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show'.
Some have pointed to the Fever's inclusion in the postseason last year and the Dallas Wings missing the cut in 2025 as the reasoning behind the difference.
Yet, fans of Clark have seen Englebert's actions as another sign of disrespect towards the WNBA's game changer.
