Utah Jazz's Jaren Jackson Jr. Cracks Top 10 in DPOY Odds

The Utah Jazz made a major investment earlier this year to try and shore up their defense by trading for Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies––a former Defensive Player of the Year who's one of the best rim protectors in the league, and is sure to boost Utah's effectiveness on that end of the floor.

So far, we haven't really gotten a true glimpse of what Jackson Jr. is going to look like with this Jazz roster. He only played in three games this past season before being sidelined for the rest of the year due to knee surgery, and will be looking to prove Utah right in trading for him this coming season.

And what better way would Jackson Jr. be able to prove his value and defensive skillset to the Jazz than winning another DPOY award?

In the eyes of the oddsmakers, the idea of Jackson Jr. adding another award to his trophy case isn't out of the realm of possibilities.

What Jaren Jackson Jr.'s DPOY Odds Look Like

According to odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, Jackson Jr. is right within the top 10 of winning next season's Defensive Player of the Year award, tying for the ninth-best odds (+7500) of any player in the league.

Of course, that plugs Jackson Jr. in as more of a longshot bet than anything. The eight players above him have +5000 odds or better to come home with the award over him, and only two players are looking at +1000 odds or better.

That's because, of course, San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama leads the pack in a major way. And that's a bit of an understatement.

Wembanyama has a shockingly high -340 odds to come away with a second-straight DPOY award a little under three months away before the 2026-27 season tips off. A game hasn't even been close to being played yet, and Vegas feels that it's Wembanyama's award to lose by a wide margin.

So from Jackson Jr.'s perspective, that's some unfavorable odds to be put in his direction to come away from this season with another DPOY from his name. But really, that can be said for any high-level defender outside of Wembanyama looking to add one to their resume.

Feb 9, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (20) looks on against the Miami Heat during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But the case for Jackson Jr. isn't impossible to imagine. It simply relies on the Jazz exceeding all expectations that are had for them on the defensive side of the ball.

How Jaren Jackson Jr. Can Defy the Odds

The Jazz have been nothing short of a poor defensive team through the past three seasons. They've ranked in the bottom two of the NBA for defensive rating since the 2022-23 campaign, and were dead last in two of those seasons.

Jackson Jr. is bound to change that fate. By how much? That remains to be seen. But for argument's sake, let's say the Jazz are able to rise up as a top-10 defensive team in the NBA this season.

Jackson Jr. reverts back to the premier defender he was in Memphis. Ace Bailey and Keyonte George take a step forward defensively. A lengthy and versatile defender like Cody Williams elevates his game with them. Darryn Peterson emerges as the two-way force he's been advertised as. That has to give Jackson Jr. some credit in this DPOY race, right?

You'd have to imagine Jackson Jr. jumps out statistically as well, maybe with three blocks and over a steal a game; the same numbers as he put together in his DPOY campaign back in 2023.

Granted, that award-winning season for Jackson Jr. was before Wembanyama came into the league, but it at least shows that such a season is possible for the two-time All-Star to put together.

Bottom Line

Again, beating out someone as dominant as Wembanyama is on the defensive end for this award is going to be a tough task for anyone. And it really might require him to miss some time and fall short of the 65-game minimum for any player to dethrone him as the league's best defender come next season.

But when looking at those in the mix that could do so, Jackson Jr. might have a slim chance of doing so, even if it's a bit unlikely.

And for a Jazz team that's struggled so significantly on the defensive end throughout recent history, having someone at least somewhat in the hunt for this award is a bit of an accomplishment in itself.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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