Fall is approaching here in Arizona, and there’s plenty of activity. The Phoenix Rising FC’s USL Championship soccer season is in full swing. Meanwhile, the college athletic seasons are well underway, including Arizona State and Grand Canyon.
Here are the news and events happening around Arizona sports:
Ex-Mercury player, Aces’ Wilson named WNBA co-DPOY winners
The Las Vegas Aces’ A’ja Wilson and Minnesota Lynx’s Alanna Smith made history as the WNBA’s 2025 co-Defensive Players of the Year on Sept. 18. It was announced on ESPN’s NBA Today show.
Wilson and former Phoenix Mercury forward Smith are the first players to split the DPOY award, leading the nominees with 29 first-place votes each.
This is Wilson’s third DPOY of her eight-year career, matching her three MVP awards, including the league’s last two consecutive she’s won since 2023. Wilson is a 2025 finalist for her fourth MVP, alongside No. 4 Phoenix’s Alyssa Thomas and Smith’s Minnesota teammate Napheesa Collier. Wilson led the WNBA this regular season in scoring (23.4 points per game), was second in rebounds (10.2), first in blocks (2.3), and her 1.6 steals was in a three-way tie for third with Thomas and Collier.
Wilson led the No. 2 Aces to their massive turnaround after July’s All-Star break. The Aces won a franchise-record 16 straight entering their first-round playoff matchup against the No. 7 Seattle Storm, which ended the Aces’ streak at 17 in Game 2 at Seattle on Sept. 16, forcing a decisive Game 3 in Las Vegas on Sept. 18.
Smith helped lead the No. 1 Minnesota to the league’s best defensive rating (97.5), allowing the second-fewest opponent fast-break points (8.7) and third-best for opponent points in the paint (34.2) this year. She averaged 9.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, the WNBA’s third-highest and career-high 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals this season.
Smith and the Lynx advanced to the semifinals after they eliminated the No. 8 Golden State Valkyries. The Lynx play next on Sept. 21 to face the Mercury-Liberty first-round series winner.
Smith began the first two years of her career with the Mercury, who drafted her eighth overall from Stanford in 2019.