The 2017-2018 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Utah
Jazz’s Rudy Gobert, is the classic example of an elite rim protector. The Jazz
big man, with a 7’1” frame and a 7’9” wingspan, is a force inside in the paint,
swatting away looks at the rim with ease.
Gobert is a fantastic defensive presence inside of ten
feet from the rim, however, in the modern NBA, his reign as DPOY should end
this season as he can and will be played out of games, especially in the
playoffs. He cannot switch and stay with smaller, faster players who shoot from
the outside. See last season’s playoffs against the Rockets for proof.
However, this is not to say that rim protectors won’t
be in the running for DPOY, quite the contrary actually. It is much easier to
measure the defensive impact of an NBA big then it is for a wing or a guard. Blocked
shots are easier to come by when the defender has six inches on the offensive
player taking layups rather then jump shots, which start lower then jump shots
typically would.
Also, it is simpler to view the impact that a defender
has at the rim against an opponent’s field goal percentage, as there are many
factors in why a player might miss a long-distance jump shot, though any NBA
player will most likely hit a lay up unless they are very well contested.
New Orleans’ Anthony Davis is the ideal defensive big
man in the modern NBA. Obviously, AD is incredibly potent on the offensive end
and his team would sink without his point production, though that should not
overshadow what he does best as a basketball player: block shots and guard
every position.
Davis is first and foremost a defensive player in this
league, possessing a strong 6’11” frame and a 7’6” wingspan. He has the size to
force other big men out of the paint and the foot speed to stick with smaller
guards/wings on the screen.
The Celtic’s Al Horford is much like Davis on the
defensive end, though Horford relies mostly on his supreme sense of positioning
compared to Davis’ pure physical abilities. Al Horford is the perfect big to
anchor a modern NBA defense just like Davis, and has the defensive presence
inside to force opposing bigs out of the paint, as well as the speed to stay
with smaller players outside the paint. Horford allows the Celtics to play a
switch everything defense, creating constant matchup problems for the opposing
team and daring them to beat their great defenders one on one.
On the wing, Kawhi Leonard stands head and shoulders
above the pack as a defender. Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Jaylen Brown, and
Andre Roberson are all elite level wing defenders, but Leonard has the ability to
completely erase an opposing teams best offensive player, 1-4. Leonard has the
physical tools to deter anybody on the wing, as he’s one of the strongest,
quickest and most well-coordinated defenders in the league, and under coach
Pop’s tutelage, has an excellent sense of positioning in an NBA defense.
Any NBA team that has a unique defender that can guard
anyone 1-5 has a distinct advantage and can build their defense around them. As
the league stands, there are 2 such players that have the potential to cover
any player reasonably well, being Golden State’s Draymond Green and Milwaukee’s
Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Draymond, though considerably shorter then the 6’11”
Giannis, has the strength and wingspan to guard anybody in this league. The
Warriors need Draymond for their dynasty to thrive, the driving force of their
smothering defense that opens up so many opportunities for their offense. Along
with a natural knack for positioning, strength, and long arms that can swallow
up any offensive player, Draymond possesses the energy and mental fortitude to
be an impact night in and night out on the less glamorous end of the floor.
Giannis may not have the reputation that Draymond does
on defense, though he has double the physical tools along with a deep drive to
be the best overall player in the league. He should elevate the Bucks to a top
tier defense this year.
Anthony Davis is the smart choice for DPOY, though
Draymond and Kawhi should be high vote getters as well, both in situations with
something to prove.