Breanna Stewart, JJ Named to 2024 WNBA All-Defensive First And Second Teams

NEW YORK – The WNBA announced today that New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart has been selected to the 2024 WNBA All-Defensive First Team, and center Jonquel Jones was selected to the All-Defensive Second Team.

For the third consecutive season, Stewart garnered First Team honors after recording 8.8 rebounds (8th in WNBA), 1.7 steals (8th in WNBA), and 1.3 blocks per game (T-9th in WNBA). Stewart also tied for the third-most defensive win shares in 2024 with 3.4, per Basketball Reference. Opponents shot -15.6% below their expected field goal percentage on layups with Breanna as the closest defender, which was the lowest among 106 players who defended at least 40 layups in 2024, according to Second Spectrum.

Jones anchored New York’s defense to earn an All-Defensive Second Team selection with averages of 9.0 rebounds (6th in WNBA), 1.3 blocks (T-9th in WNBA), and 0.8 steals per game. Jonquel played a major role in the Liberty posting the WNBA’s third-best defensive rating (95.3) while limiting opponents to a league-low 8.9 second-chance points per game in 2024.

Stewart and Jones are the third set of teammates in Liberty franchise history to earn All-Defensive Team honors in the same season, including Stewart and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton in 2023.

This marks Stewart’s sixth total All-Defensive Team selection and her third First Team nod. With the selection, which was the fourth First Team honor in Liberty franchise history, Stewart also becomes the first Liberty player to earn multiple All-Defensive First Team selections in New York. Jones earned her fourth career All-Defensive Team selection and her first with the Liberty.