- Get the latest betting odds on the top favorites for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award.
- Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green is the favorite to win DPOY.
- Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert won his fourth DPOY trophy in 2023-24.
The NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award selection process is straightforward. Voters tend to pick the best defensive player on one of the best defensive teams in the league.
That formula led to Rudy Gobert claiming his fourth DPOY award in 2023-24. He anchored a Minnesota Timberwolves team that ranked first in defensive rating and first in points allowed per 100 possessions.
Remarkably, 11 of the previous 12 winners have played on a team that ranked first or second in defensive rating. All 12 of those DPOY winners were on a team that ranked first or second in points allowed per 100 possessions, a testament to the consistency of this formula.
However, that formula might be changing based on the latest NBA betting odds for the DPOY race in 2025:
Odds to Win 2025 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
| Player | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Draymond Green | Warriors | -500 |
| Evan Mobley | Cavaliers | +400 |
| Luguentz Dort | Thunder | +600 |
| Dyson Daniels | Hawks | +4000 |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | Grizzlies | +10000 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | Thunder | +15000 |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Draymond Green Becomes New Favorite
The NBA Defensive Player of the Year race took a dramatic turn after the All-Star break when news broke that San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama would miss the remainder of the season.
Before that announcement, Wembanyama was a dominant -2500 favorite, giving him a 96.15% implied probability of winning his first DPOY award. However, his season was cut short after 46 games, during which he averaged 3.8 blocks in his sophomore campaign. With his ineligibility, the award race suddenly became much more competitive.
Initially, Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. took over as the betting favorite before Cleveland Cavaliers center Evan Mobley surged ahead shortly after that. It looked like a two-man race, right?
Not so fast.
Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green is now alone at the top of this market. Green’s -500 price tag gives him an implied probability of 83.33%. His recent rise comes after he voiced his motivation to win a second DPOY trophy after winning one in 2016-17.
Entering the final week of the regular season, here are where the top DPOY contenders rank in terms of team defensive rating:
- Warriors: 7th
- Cavaliers: 9th
- Thunder: 1st
- Hawks: 19th
This race will come down to the very end, but Green appears to have the edge entering the home stretch.
Prediction: Draymond Green (-500)
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Best Bets for 2025
- Anthony Davis +12500 (0.1 units) on Feb. 3.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Betting Splits
Here are the latest betting insights for the Defensive Player of the Year market at the online sportsbook:
- Most tickets: Evan Mobley 14.5%
- Highest handle: Victor Wembanyama 17.1%
- Biggest liability: Luguentz Dort
- Odds leader: Draymond Green
2023-24 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Voting
| Rank | Name | Team | Vote Pts | 1st Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rudy Gobert | MIN | 433 | 72 |
| 2 | Victor Wembanyama | SAS | 245 | 19 |
| 3 | Bam Adebayo | MIA | 91 | 3 |
| 4 | Anthony Davis | LAL | 83 | 4 |
| 5 | Herbert Jones | NOP | 14 | 0 |
| 6 | Jrue Holiday | BOS | 7 | 1 |
| 7 | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | Derrick White | BOS | 5 | 0 |
| 9 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | 3 | 0 |
| T10 | Jarrett Allen | CLE | 1 | 0 |
| T10 | Alex Caruso | CHI | 1 | 0 |
| T10 | Domantas Sabonis | SAC | 1 | 0 |
| T10 | Jalen Suggs | ORL | 1 | 0 |
List of Defensive Player of the Year Winners
| Year | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Rudy Gobert | MIN |
| 2022-23 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | MEM |
| 2021-22 | Marcus Smart | BOS |
| 2020-21 | Rudy Gobert | UTA |
| 2019-20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL |
| 2018-19 | Rudy Gobert | UTA |
| 2017-18 | Rudy Gobert | UTA |
| 2016-17 | Draymond Green | GSW |
| 2015-16 | Kawhi Leonard | SAS |
| 2014-15 | Kawhi Leonard | SAS |
| 2013-14 | Joakim Noah | CHI |
| 2012-13 | Marc Gasol | MEM |
| 2011-12 | Tyson Chandler | NYK |
| 2010-11 | Dwight Howard | ORL |
| 2009-10 | Dwight Howard | ORL |
| 2008-09 | Dwight Howard | ORL |
| 2007-08 | Kevin Garnett | BOS |
| 2006-07 | Marcus Camby | DEN |
| 2005-06 | Ben Wallace | DET |
| 2004-05 | Ben Wallace | DET |
| 2003-04 | Metta World Peace | IND |
| 2002-03 | Ben Wallace | DET |
| 2001-02 | Ben Wallace | DET |
| 2000-01 | Dikembe Mutombo | TOT |
| 1999-00 | Alonzo Mourning | MIA |
Who Has Won the Most Defensive Player of the Year Awards in NBA History?
Three different players have won four Defensive Player of the Awards in NBA history:
- Rudy Gobert (2018, 2019, 2021, 2024)
- Dikembe Mutombo (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)
- Ben Wallace (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006)
Who is the Oldest Player to Win NBA Defensive Player of the Year?
Dikembe Mutombo is the oldest player to win NBA’s DPOY award, claiming the honor at 34 years old during the 2000-01 season.
That’s noteworthy because Green is 35 and the current favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year.
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