NBA Awards: Will A Rookie Win Defensive Player Of The Year?
With All-Star weekend upon us, we are over halfway through the season and the award races are heating up. The clear front runners for the NBA Rookie of the Year award are Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. Both of these prospects possess unique skills for big men who stand over 7-feet tall and are elite defensive prospects. Their elite defense gives their respective teams a whole different dynamic, which is why they both are potential NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidates. Let’s dive into why we could see a rookie win the DPOY this season.
As of today, Rudy Gobert is the favorite to win the award, which would be his fourth time winning it and would tie him for most all-time with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. Gobert has played a massive part in the Minnesota Timberwolves' success, as they are the top seed in the Western Conference. When it comes to favorites, just behind Gobert is the Oklahoma City Thunder’s big man, Holmgren.
The 7-foot-1 center missed all of last season due to injury but is back better than ever. The elite rim-protecting big man has some of the best defensive instincts and timing you will ever see. He does a great job at positioning himself for success on the defensive end and his IQ on that end is remarkable. On the season he’s averaging 2.6 blocks per game and has led OKC to the fourth-best defensive rating in the NBA. Last season the Thunder struggled to get above .500, but the rookie has made such a big impact that they’re now one of the top teams in their conference.
On the other hand, Wembanyama is part of one of the worst teams in the NBA despite showcasing elite paint defense and an unreal defensive IQ. Although he's just a rookie, the 7-foot-4 unicorn is leading the NBA in blocks per game with 3.2 in just 28 minutes played per contest. On top of leading the league in blocks, he is also top-40 in the NBA in steals per game, with just over one per night. Wembanyama is a defensive playmaker and when he gets surrounded by better players he should have a better shot at winning the award of the NBA's top defender.
As of right now, the odds-on favorite to win the award is Gobert, thogh Holmgren, Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis and Wembanyama are also in contention.
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