Every winner of the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year

As you will see, big men often win Defensive Player of the Year, but the winner of the first award was a shooting guard. Moncrief, playing for the Bucks, took home the award. Steals were his thing, and he averaged 1.5 steals and 5.8 rebounds per game. There is, of course, stuff not found in the stats that can contribute to DPOY voting, but also, we wonder if it helped that he scored 22.5 points per game. Sometimes, for whatever reason, how a player did offensively is part of what voters consider when deciding defensive awards.

Yes, Moncrief won the first two Defensive Player of the Year awards. That helped bolster his resume for the Hall of Fame, an institution where he is enshrined. This time, he averaged 1.4 steals per game, and 4.0 of his 6.7 rebounds per game were defensive rebounds. However, we do feel like offensive rebounds are often seen as defensive play, just on the other court. A steal at half-court is still a steal, right?

Here’s a big man, and we do mean a BIG man. Standing 7’4’’, Eaton was a defense-first center but was also one of the best defensive centers ever, bolstered by this win. Unlike many men his size, Eaton was able to stay healthy, playing at least 79 games in every season of his career except for his final campaign. In 1984-85, he started all 82 games and also set an NBA record with 5.6 blocks per game. That’s incredible, and it made the Jazz big man’s win inevitable.

In 1986, Robertson became the first-ever winner of the Most Improved Player award, and when you go ahead and win Defensive Player of the Year the same season, it justified the idea of your improvement. Robertson, a Spur, was to steals what Eaton was to blocks. When Robertson won, he set an NBA record with 3.7 steals per contest.

If you watched Winning Time, you know Cooper’s role was to lock it down on defense for the Showtime Lakers. He made an All-Defense team every year between 1981 and 1988. In 1987, he also won Defensive Player of the Year (and a title, for good measure). Cooper’s case certainly wasn’t made with his numbers, as he came off the bench and only averaged one steal per game. His after-the-fact advanced stats indicate Coop wasn’t great in the 1986-87 season, and maybe this was a career achievement award.

Much as people love to talk about LeBron’s passing, with MJ, people mention that he was also great defensively. To be fair, Jordan was a great defender at guard, making first-team All-Defense nine times. He only won Defensive Player of the Year once, in 1988, and it was a big campaign for Jordan. This was the season he also won his first MVP.

Eaton closed out the 1980s by winning his second and final DPOY award. This season, he “only” blocked 3.8 shots per game but also brought down 10.3 rebounds per contest. For his size, Eaton was actually not a great rebounder, and the two times he averaged double-digit rebounds a night were the two times he won Defensive Player of the Year.

Rodman, back when he was a Piston and not quite as aesthetically dynamic, didn’t score a ton, but he was dedicated to defense. While the steals and blocks were sporadic, he brought down 9.7 rebounds per game. Notably, he did that while playing small forward, making his rebounding arguably more impressive to voters.

Rodman won Defensive Player of the Year back-to-back for the Bad Boys. Now a full-fledged starter, this time around, Rodman picked up 12.5 boards per game. Interestingly, Rodman proceeded to lead the NBA in rebounds per contest in each of the next seven seasons but never won Defensive Player of the Year again.

Robinson could do it all. He led the NBA once each in points per game, rebounds per game, and blocks per game. His DPOY came in his block leader year. In fact, Robinson didn’t just manage 4.5 blocks per game but also 2.3 steals per game. For a center, that’s amazing.

Obviously, if it were done all over again, Michael Jordan would have been the first-overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. However, getting Olajuwon paid off for the Rockets, as they got a Hall of Famer who also led the franchise to two titles (when Jordan was playing baseball, but they still count). Olajuwon had a great case to win Defensive Player of the Year a couple of times previously but finally won after the 1992-93 season. He grabbed 13 rebounds per game and led the NBA with 4.2 blocks per contest.

This was a magical season for “The Dream.” Sure, he dropped down to “only” 3.7 blocks and 11.9 rebounds per game, but he still won Defensive Player of the Year. Also, he won MVP and the first of those two titles we mentioned.

Mutombo was kind of Olajuwon without the offensive skills, which may be partially why he moved from team to team so often. His finger-wagging defense was formidable, though. Mutombo led the NBA in blocks per game three seasons in a row with Denver, but interestingly, this was the only one of those times he won Defensive Player of the Year, and his 3.9 blocks per contest was his lowest average in that time. Still impressive, of course!

Payton is the first point guard on this list, but that’s the power of the man they called “The Glove.” His lockdown defense made many a ball handler miserable. In the 1995-96 season, Payton averaged 2.9 steals per game for the Sonics, which led the NBA. He is now, perhaps, the face of Seattle Supersonics basketball.

Now, with the Hawks, Mutombo took home his second Defensive Player of the Year award. Though his 3.3 blocks per game did not lead the league, they were paired with 11.6 rebounds per contest. Guys who block that many shots are rare, and one assumes there were shots Mutombo didn’t block but did alter.

The next season, Mutombo became the first player to win Defensive Player of the Year three times. It was effectively the same season that won him the award the year prior. We’re talking 3.4 blocks and 11.4 rebounds per game. It sufficed before. Why not again?

You may picture Mourning in a Hornets jersey, but that’s probably partly because those Hornets Starters jackets were so big in the early 1990s. “Zo” actually only played three seasons there and spent the bulk of his career with the Miami Heat. When he won Defensive Player of the Year in the lockout-shortened 1998-99 season, he was in Miami. Mourning set personal bests with 11.0 rebounds and a whopping 3.9 blocks per game.

As you have likely noticed, guys don’t tend to be one-and-done when it comes to winning this award. Mourning took home a second DPOY to kick off the new millennium. Once again, Mourning led the NBA in blocks per game, this time with 3.7. He also played the most games and minutes of his career, which gave him more opportunities to impact the game defensively.

Mutombo made history with his fourth DPOY win, which is still tied for the record. He also made history by winning the award with his third team. While Mutombo started the year with the Hawks, he was dealt to the Sixers during the season. In total, he averaged 13.5 boards per contest to lead the league and threw in 2.7 blocks per game for good measure.

Wallace is one of the most unexpected Hall of Famers. He was undrafted out of college. As a 6’9’’ center, Wallace was undersized for his position, but his shooting was so poor he couldn’t really play anywhere else. He started his career in Washington and spent a season in Orlando. Finally, the Pistons took a shot on him, and “Big Ben” turned into a defensive force. In his first Defensive Player of the Year campaign, Wallace led the NBA with 13.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game.

We said “first” Defensive Player of the Year campaign because Wallace would come to know the award quite well. His 2002-03 season was even better. Though he went from 3.5 blocks per game down to 3.2, he led the NBA with a whopping 15.4 boards per contest. That’ll win you Defensive Player of the Year effectively every time.

The then-Ron Artest (now Metta Sandiford-Artest after a stint as Metta World Peace) stands out as a winner because he’s the first wing player to win Defensive Player of the Year since Rodman, and Rodman did not have a traditional small forward’s game. He averaged 2.1 steals a night for the Pacers and generally was seen as a tenacious defender. It’s probably fortuitous that Artest won this season. The following year, the “Malice at the Palace” happened, and after that, there was no way he was going to be voted into anything.

After one season off, Wallace grabbed DPOY once again. In addition to averaging a career-best 9.7 points per game – not particularly relevant to this award but worth mentioning – “Big Ben” pulled down 12.2 boards per contest and swatted 2.4 shots per game as well.

Interestingly, the one year out of these last five that Wallace didn’t win Defensive Player of the Year was when the Pistons won the NBA title. Wallace tied Mutombo’s record with his fourth victory in this competition. It was probably a bit of a reputation award for the Piston. His 11.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game were still quite good, but obviously, he was on the decline, and his numbers would continue to get worse bit by bit until his retirement.

Camby held it down for the big men in the 2006-07 season, though, as you may have noticed, many Hall of Famers have comprised this list, with more Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers yet to come. Camby is not quite on that level. He had a fine career and is one of the best players never to make an All-Star Game. Playing for the Nuggets for three years in a row, Camby led the NBA in blocks per game. The year he won, DPOY was the middle campaign of those three.

Garnett is, to date, the last Hall of Famer on this list, though again, a few of these guys aren’t eligible yet. Interestingly, Garnett won his Defensive Player of the Year award after he had already won his MVP. This was the season where KG had left Minnesota for Boston and helped elevate the team and take it to an NBA title. While his DPOY was wrapped up before he got his ring, his impact was clear. Garnett dropped to 9.2 rebounds per game after leading the league in that category the four previous years, but he also averaged over a steal and a block per game.

People like to rag on Howard. His personality is enervating. Most of his teammates seemed to barely be able to tolerate him, at best. He didn’t win a ring until he was an afterthought on the Lakers. However, Howard is hands down a Hall of Famer, and he’s the best defensive player of his generation. In the 2008-09 season, back when he was the face of the Magic, Howard led the NBA with 13.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

Howard basically had the same season again, so naturally, it ended up with him winning his second defensive player of the year in a row. He led the NBA with 13.2 boards and 2.8 blocks per game. See, like we said. Basically the same season.

Howard didn’t get his fourth DPOY to join Mutombo and Wallace, but he is the only person ever to three-peat. Neither his 14.1 rebounds nor his 2.4 blocks per contest led the NBA, but those are excellent numbers. Additionally, he threw in 1.4 steals per game. Had injuries not limited Howard to 54 games in the 66-game season that came the next year, he may have won four in a row.

Instead of Howard winning, Chandler took home Defensive Player of the Year in the lockout-shortened campaign. Chandler at least kept it in the proverbial big man fraternity, with Artest’s win increasingly standing out as an anomaly. In his first season with New York, Chandler averaged 11.0 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and just a hair under one steal per game. Perhaps playing for the Knicks got the center the attention he needed to win this award.

People lampooned the Grizzlies’ return in the Pau Gasol trade. That is until they saw Pau’s younger brother Marc, who could potentially join his older bro in the Hall of Fame someday (international play is part of one’s resume, remember). Gasol was not necessarily a stat sheet stuffer, but he was a presence at center, and he did have solid numbers. He averaged 7.8 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and 1.0 steals per game, and he started 80 games, meaning Gasol made a lot of defensive impact.

Noah was a good player who had one great season. Sometimes, that happens. In the 2013-14 campaign, Noah was first-team All-Defense, made his second All-Star Game, was first-team All-NBA, and also won Defensive Player of the Year. Like Gasol when he won, Noah had a healthy season and started 80 games at center. He picked up 11.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. Averaging 10-1-1 like that as a center is quite impressive. Unfortunately, Noah spent the last several years of his career effectively never healthy.

Wait, what’s a “small forward”? Kawhi was too undeniable for a big man to take home Defensive Player of the Year in 2015. Payton may have been “The Glove,” but Leonard was “The Klaw.” He could guard basically anybody on the court and lock them down, from speedy point guards to burly big men. His league-leading 2.3 steals per game was the go-to stat to highlight, though.

Kawhi, still a Spur, was so good that the narrative became, “Yeah, he’s the best defensive player in the league,” so he got to win back-to-back awards. He averaged 6.8 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game as a wing player and reeled in 1.8 steals per contest. Kawhi ruined offenses at the time. That’s a better legacy than “The Face of Load Management.”

Draymond basically represents, “What if Kawhi was a bit bigger?” Maybe he wasn’t quite as good as Leonard defensively, but the power forward and frequent “small ball” center definitely earned his DPOY. The Warriors won the title, and Green played a big part. We know that points don’t matter for this award, but his overall averages are just too interesting: 10.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.4 blocks, and a league-leading 2.0 steal. What a player.

Gobert took over the mantle of “Elite defender, future Hall of Famer guy a lot of fans seem to think sucks for some reason” from Dwight Howard. Gobert is not as skilled offensively as Howard in his prime, but Gobert’s defensive acumen was on par with Howard’s. Gobert was so good for the Jazz he took home Defensive Player of the Year, even though he only played in 56 games. When he was on the court, the French big man averaged 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks, and he was the face of “deterrent at the rim” in the NBA.

Gobert played 81 games in the 2018-19 season, making him an easier call for this award. It also helped that he averaged 2.3 blocks per game again while grabbing 12.9 boards per contest. He also scored 15.9 points per game and led the NBA in field-goal percentage. Because he was a great player and a future Hall of Famer.

It’s probably for the best that Gobert didn’t three-peat because this was the season shortened by COVID-19, and, um, Gobert played a sizable role in the COVID-19 narrative in the NBA. Instead, Giannis pulled a Jordan and an Olajuwon. That is to say, he won Defensive Player of the Year and MVP in the same season, this being his second MVP.

All those microphone coughs were apparently forgiven, as Gobert got his third Defensive Player of the Year, which essentially locked him into the Hall someday. Helping to lead the Jazz to the NBA’s best record, Gobert put up 13.5 rebounds per game and 2.7 blocks per game, the latter a personal best.

A guard! Not just a guard, but a point guard! Smart shifted the paradigm when he won DPOY with the Celtics in 2021-22. He did have 1.7 steals per game, though that didn’t lead the NBA. There was a lot of perception and eye test in Smart’s win. Also, probably some “Wouldn’t it be cool if a guard won?” Maybe there was Gobert fatigue. (He finished third.) Wing Mikal Bridges finished second.

The only question with the Grizzlies’ Jackson? Playing time. Not just games missed, as he played in 63 contests, but he also averaged 28.4 minutes per game because the dude takes a lot of fouls. For some, that meant he was a no-go to win. Others were drawn in by the fact he led the NBA with 3.0 blocks per game. The sheer tonnage of blocks won out, with JJJ winning DPOY over Brook Lopez (and an underappreciated Evan Mobley) in a classic battle of big men. Order was restored on that front, at least.