5 best Defensive Player of the Year candidates after 9 days of 2023-24 NBA season
The NBA 2023-24 season is underway. After nine days of scintillating action, there are players making their mark for the different awards that follow once the regular season ends.
At the time of writing, the conversation has all been about the Defensive Player of the Year. Last season, Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. took home the spoils, but in less than 10 games for all teams across the league, he's already facing stern competition.
Some of the candidates whose names have come up were pegged to be DPOYs ahead of the start of the season and are living up to the hype already.
Here are five players who have made their cases for winning the marquee award in the NBA 2023-24 season.
Besf Defensive Player of the Year candidates in the NBA 2023-24 season
Here are the top five:
#5 Scottie Barnes
The Toronto Raptors come off their second win of the season with an upset win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Their 130-111 win was a collective effort with Pascal Siakam, Dennis Schroder and Scottie Barnes all propping up with 20+ points.
Barnes, in particular, has been impressive at the defensive end. The Raptors defensive ceiling hinges on how the guard fares in that aspect of the game this season.
Earlier, he had expressed his desire to win the DPOY and has the playmaking potential to do that. While the results haven't been in Toronto and Barnes' favor, his efforts at the defensive end make him a legitimate contender.
#4 Rudy Gobert
With bigs favored to generally win DPOY, it's difficult to not consider Rudy Gobert in the mix. The Minnesota Timberwolves center is a regular name in odds and betting books to win the award.
The Frenchman is averaging 13.3 rebounds at the time of writing, and the former three-time winner of the award has shown glimpses of why he deserves a fourth.
Gobert's numbers might not do justice to explain his defense, and what he does goes beyond the box score.
The center is a pest in the paint and is a nightmare for scorers who intend to whiz past bigs. Add his aggressive rebounding and shot-blocking, he's another NBA superstar pegged to win the silverware.
#3 Joel Embiid
The former MVP is averaging 10.3 rebounds this season and comes off a defensive rating of 106.8 from last season's playoffs.
Given his efforts at the defensive end, Joel Embiid is one of the better players in contention to win the DPOY.
Last season, he had his shot at Jaren Jackson Jr. for being awarded the prestigious award and will be keen to win his first NBA DPOY.
He has never made the first team on Defense and was not in the mix for the All-Defense side last season. However, like Gobert, what he does on that end largely goes unnoticed given his scoring prowess.
#2 Anthony Davis
While it's early days in the league, Anthony Davis (healthy for now) is a bonafide threat at the defensive end.
His frame and ability to read the opponents' moves make him another prime contender to win the DPOY this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is a four-time All-Defense with first-place DPOY votes in the last four seasons. He finished runner-up in 2020.
This season, he's third in the list of rebounds leaders, below Domantas Sabonis and Deandre Ayton with 13.8 boards per game.
Should he dominate at the five, which he has so far, translating to three wins for LA in five games, he's a cinch to win the award.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been so good and versatile on defense that he's a perennial voter's favorite.
After winning the DPOY in 2020 and finishing as the runner-up the following season, the last two years in the NBA have seen him finish fifth and sixth respectively in the voting list.
Much of the Milwaukee Bucks's defense depends on Antetokounmpo, given the team sacrificed Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard.
Antetokounmpo is an ideal paint protector, guards the rim effectively and can guard the perimeter.