NBA Defensive Player of the Year

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada, each of whom casts a vote for first, second and third place selections. Each first-place vote is worth five points, second-place votes are worth three points, and a third-place vote is worth one. The player with the highest point total, regardless of the number of first-place votes, wins the award. Since the 2022–23 NBA season, winners receive the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, named after the two-time defensive player of the year winner.

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NBA Defensive Player of the Year

Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Rudy Gobert have each won the award a record four times. Dwight Howard has won the award three times, and is the only player ever to have won it in three consecutive seasons. Sidney Moncrief, Mark Eaton, Dennis Rodman, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning and Kawhi Leonard have each won it twice. The most recent award recipient is Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Although five of the first six winners were perimeter players, the award has traditionally been given to big men who rebound and block shots. Only eight perimeter players have been honored: Moncrief, Alvin Robertson, Michael Cooper, Michael Jordan, Gary Payton, Ron Artest, Kawhi Leonard and Marcus Smart. Payton and Smart are the only two point guards to have won. Jordan, Olajuwon, David Robinson, Kevin Garnett and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only winners to have also won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) during their careers; Jordan, Olajuwon and Antetokounmpo won both awards in the same season. In Olajuwon's case, he is the only one to have also won the NBA Finals MVP Award and the NBA championship in the same season. Jordan is the only recipient to have also won the scoring title in the same season, when he also became the only player to win the award while averaging over 30 points per game (35.0). On four occasions, the Defensive Player of the Year recipient was not voted to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in the same year. Robertson in 1986, Mutombo (1995), Tyson Chandler (2012), and Marc Gasol (2013) were instead named to the second team. Whereas the Defensive Player of the Year is voted on by the media, the All-Defensive teams were voted on by NBA coaches prior to 2014.

As part of efforts to reduce load management for star players in the league, effective with the 2023–24 season, when a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and its players' union took effect, players must appear in at least 65 games to be eligible for most major regular-season awards, including Defensive Player of the Year. To receive credit for a game for purposes of award eligibility, a player must have been credited with at least 20 minutes played. However, two "near misses", in which the player appeared for 15 to 19 minutes, can be included in the 65-game count. Protections also exist for players who suffer season-ending injuries, who are eligible with 62 credited games, and those affected by what the CBA calls "bad faith circumstances".

Winners

NBA Defensive Player of the Year

Hakeem Olajuwon won the award two times. In 2022, the award was named the "Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy".

Michael Jordan is one of five players to have won both an MVP and a Defensive Player of the Year award in their career.

Gary Payton was the first point guard to win the award.

Dwight Howard won the award in three consecutive years (2009–2011).

Marc Gasol was the first European player to win the award (2013).

Evan Mobley, the most recent winner

<table><thead><tr><th>^</th><th>Denotes player who is still active in the NBA</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame</td></tr><tr><td>§</td><td>1st time eligible for Hall of Fame in 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Player (#)</td><td>Denotes the number of times the player has received the award</td></tr><tr><td>Team (#)</td><td>Denotes the number of times a player from this team has won</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Season</th><th>Player</th><th>Position</th><th>Nationality</th><th>Team</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1982–83</td><td>Sidney Moncrief</td><td>Shooting guard</td><td> United States</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks</td></tr><tr><td>1983–84</td><td>Sidney Moncrief (2)</td><td>Shooting guard</td><td> United States</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks (2)</td></tr><tr><td>1984–85</td><td>Mark Eaton</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Utah Jazz</td></tr><tr><td>1985–86</td><td>Alvin Robertson</td><td>Shooting guard</td><td> United States</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td></tr><tr><td>1986–87</td><td>Michael Cooper</td><td>Shooting guard</td><td> United States</td><td>Los Angeles Lakers</td></tr><tr><td>1987–88</td><td>Michael Jordan</td><td>Shooting guard</td><td> United States</td><td>Chicago Bulls</td></tr><tr><td>1988–89</td><td>Mark Eaton (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Utah Jazz (2)</td></tr><tr><td>1989–90</td><td>Dennis Rodman</td><td>Small forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td></tr><tr><td>1990–91</td><td>Dennis Rodman (2)</td><td>Small forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons (2)</td></tr><tr><td>1991–92</td><td>David Robinson</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>San Antonio Spurs (2)</td></tr><tr><td>1992–93</td><td>Hakeem Olajuwon</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Houston Rockets</td></tr><tr><td>1993–94</td><td>Hakeem Olajuwon (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Houston Rockets (2)</td></tr><tr><td>1994–95</td><td>Dikembe Mutombo</td><td>Center</td><td> Zaire</td><td>Denver Nuggets</td></tr><tr><td>1995–96</td><td>Gary Payton</td><td>Point guard</td><td> United States</td><td>Seattle SuperSonics</td></tr><tr><td>1996–97</td><td>Dikembe Mutombo (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> Zaire</td><td>Atlanta Hawks</td></tr><tr><td>1997–98</td><td>Dikembe Mutombo (3)</td><td>Center</td><td>DR Congo</td><td>Atlanta Hawks (2)</td></tr><tr><td>1998–99</td><td>Alonzo Mourning</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Miami Heat</td></tr><tr><td>1999–00</td><td>Alonzo Mourning (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Miami Heat (2)</td></tr><tr><td>2000–01</td><td>Dikembe Mutombo (4)</td><td>Center</td><td> DR Congo</td><td>Philadelphia 76ers</td></tr><tr><td>2001–02</td><td>Ben Wallace</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons (3)</td></tr><tr><td>2002–03</td><td>Ben Wallace (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons (4)</td></tr><tr><td>2003–04</td><td>Ron Artest</td><td>Small forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Indiana Pacers</td></tr><tr><td>2004–05</td><td>Ben Wallace (3)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons (5)</td></tr><tr><td>2005–06</td><td>Ben Wallace (4)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Detroit Pistons (6)</td></tr><tr><td>2006–07</td><td>Marcus Camby</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Denver Nuggets (2)</td></tr><tr><td>2007–08</td><td>Kevin Garnett</td><td>Power forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Boston Celtics</td></tr><tr><td>2008–09</td><td>Dwight Howard</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Orlando Magic</td></tr><tr><td>2009–10</td><td>Dwight Howard (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Orlando Magic (2)</td></tr><tr><td>2010–11</td><td>Dwight Howard (3)</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>Orlando Magic (3)</td></tr><tr><td>2011–12</td><td>Tyson Chandler</td><td>Center</td><td> United States</td><td>New York Knicks</td></tr><tr><td>2012–13</td><td>Marc Gasol</td><td>Center</td><td> Spain</td><td>Memphis Grizzlies</td></tr><tr><td>2013–14</td><td>Joakim Noah</td><td>Center</td><td> France</td><td>Chicago Bulls (2)</td></tr><tr><td>2014–15</td><td>Kawhi Leonard^</td><td>Small forward</td><td> United States</td><td>San Antonio Spurs (3)</td></tr><tr><td>2015–16</td><td>Kawhi Leonard^ (2)</td><td>Small forward</td><td> United States</td><td>San Antonio Spurs (4)</td></tr><tr><td>2016–17</td><td>Draymond Green^</td><td>Power forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Golden State Warriors</td></tr><tr><td>2017–18</td><td>Rudy Gobert^</td><td>Center</td><td> France</td><td>Utah Jazz (3)</td></tr><tr><td>2018–19</td><td>Rudy Gobert^ (2)</td><td>Center</td><td> France</td><td>Utah Jazz (4)</td></tr><tr><td>2019–20</td><td>Giannis Antetokounmpo^</td><td>Power forward</td><td> Greece</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks (3)</td></tr><tr><td>2020–21</td><td>Rudy Gobert^ (3)</td><td>Center</td><td> France</td><td>Utah Jazz (5)</td></tr><tr><td>2021–22</td><td>Marcus Smart^</td><td>Point guard</td><td> United States</td><td>Boston Celtics (2)</td></tr><tr><td>2022–23</td><td>Jaren Jackson Jr.^</td><td>Power forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Memphis Grizzlies (2)</td></tr><tr><td>2023–24</td><td>Rudy Gobert^ (4)</td><td>Center</td><td> France</td><td>Minnesota Timberwolves</td></tr><tr><td>2024–25</td><td>Evan Mobley^</td><td>Power forward</td><td> United States</td><td>Cleveland Cavaliers</td></tr></tbody></table>

Multi-time winners

NBA Defensive Player of the Year

<table><thead><tr><th>Awards</th><th>Player</th><th>Team</th><th>Years</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>4</td><td>Dikembe Mutombo</td><td>Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks (2), Philadelphia 76ers</td><td>1995, 1997, 1998, 2001</td></tr><tr><td>Ben Wallace</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td><td>2002, 2003, 2005, 2006</td></tr><tr><td>Rudy Gobert</td><td>Utah Jazz (3), Minnesota Timberwolves</td><td>2018, 2019, 2021, 2024</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Dwight Howard</td><td>Orlando Magic</td><td>2009, 2010, 2011</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Sidney Moncrief</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks</td><td>1983, 1984</td></tr><tr><td>Mark Eaton</td><td>Utah Jazz</td><td>1985, 1989</td></tr><tr><td>Dennis Rodman</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td><td>1990, 1991</td></tr><tr><td>Hakeem Olajuwon</td><td>Houston Rockets</td><td>1993, 1994</td></tr><tr><td>Alonzo Mourning</td><td>Miami Heat</td><td>1999, 2000</td></tr><tr><td>Kawhi Leonard</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>2015, 2016</td></tr></tbody></table>

Teams

NBA Defensive Player of the Year

<table><thead><tr><th>Awards</th><th>Teams</th><th>Years</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>6</td><td>Detroit Pistons</td><td>1990, 1991, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006</td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>Utah Jazz</td><td>1985, 1989, 2018, 2019, 2021</td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>San Antonio Spurs</td><td>1986, 1992, 2015, 2016</td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>Milwaukee Bucks</td><td>1983, 1984, 2020</td></tr><tr><td>Orlando Magic</td><td>2009, 2010, 2011</td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>Atlanta Hawks</td><td>1997, 1998</td></tr><tr><td>Boston Celtics</td><td>2008, 2022</td></tr><tr><td>Chicago Bulls</td><td>1988, 2014</td></tr><tr><td>Denver Nuggets</td><td>1995, 2007</td></tr><tr><td>Houston Rockets</td><td>1993, 1994</td></tr><tr><td>Miami Heat</td><td>1999, 2000</td></tr><tr><td>Memphis Grizzlies</td><td>2013, 2023</td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>Golden State Warriors</td><td>2017</td></tr><tr><td>Indiana Pacers</td><td>2004</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Lakers</td><td>1987</td></tr><tr><td>Minnesota Timberwolves</td><td>2024</td></tr><tr><td>New York Knicks</td><td>2012</td></tr><tr><td>Philadelphia 76ers</td><td>2001</td></tr><tr><td>Seattle SuperSonics</td><td>1996</td></tr><tr><td>Cleveland Cavaliers</td><td>2025</td></tr><tr><td>0</td><td>Brooklyn Nets</td><td>None</td></tr><tr><td>Charlotte Hornets</td></tr><tr><td>Dallas Mavericks</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Clippers</td></tr><tr><td>New Orleans Pelicans</td></tr><tr><td>Phoenix Suns</td></tr><tr><td>Portland Trail Blazers</td></tr><tr><td>Sacramento Kings</td></tr><tr><td>Toronto Raptors</td></tr><tr><td>Washington Wizards</td></tr></tbody></table>