- Get the latest betting odds on the top favorites for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award.
- Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley won his first DPOY award in 2024-25.
The 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year race turned on its head after the All-Star break.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama appeared on his way to winning the DPOY trophy before his season was cut short after 46 games due to a blood clot in his right shoulder. With Wemby ineligible, Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley stepped in and won the award.
Take a look at the latest NBA odds in the Defensive Player of the Year market for the 2025-26 season:
Odds to Win NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2026
| Player | Team | Current Odds | Preseason Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama | Spurs | -5000 | -190 |
| Chet Holmgren | Thunder | +550 | +650 |
Who Will Win NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2026?
Victor Wembanyama remains the betting favorite to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. At -5000, Wembanyama has an implied probability of 98.04% to claim his first DPOY trophy.
This market has featured some interesting movement throughout the year. Wembanyama grabbed a commanding lead in the DPOY race out of the gates. After entering the year with a -190 price tag, Wembanyama was trading at -300 before he was sidelined with a left calf strain for a month.
Following the injury to Wemby, Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren took over as the Defensive Player of the Year favorite. He remained atop this market until February, as there were concerns about Wembanyama playing enough games to be eligible for end-of-season honors.
There are still concerns regarding the number of games Wembanyama has played. He’s currently at 63 entering the final weekend, though it was reported that the NBA Cup championship would count toward his total, even though the stats aren’t official. That means he must play at least 20 minutes in one of the Spurs’ final two games while dealing with a new rib injury.
If he does that, Wembanyama will become the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. He currently leads the NBA with an average of 3.1 blocks and 9.5 defensive rebounds per game. According to Databallr, San Antonio’s defensive rating is nine points better with Wembanyama on the floor this year.
But, as demonstrated last year (and earlier this season), health remains a concern when assessing Wembanyama’s DPOY odds.
In 2024-25, Wembanyama was well on his way to becoming the youngest Defensive Player of the Year in NBA history. He was an overwhelming favorite after increasing his blocks average to 3.8 while also adding 9.2 defensive rebounds and 1.1 steals per contest.
However, Wembanyama was shut down after the break due to a blood clot. It opened up the race, allowing Mobley to win his first DPOY trophy. Mobley averaged 1.6 blocks and 9.3 rebounds per game for a Cleveland team that ranked eighth in points allowed per 100 possessions.
More importantly, voters went away from their usual formula of picking the best defensive player on the best defensive team. For 12 straight seasons between 2013 and 2024, the DPOY winner came from a team that ranked first or second in points allowed per 100 possessions.
Had voters followed that pattern, they would have tabbed someone from the Thunder, who had a historically elite defense last year. The problem was that it was unclear which player deserved the most credit, especially given Holmgren’s limited 32-game season.
With Holmgren healthy this time around, that shouldn’t be a problem. He’s averaging 1.9 blocks and seven defensive rebounds for the top-ranked defensive team in the league. The Thunder’s defensive rating is nearly three points better than the next team.
If Wembanyama isn’t able to play 65 games, it would allow the Thunder to get the defensive recognition they deserve at the end of the year. However, it appears that this is Wemby’s award to lose during the home stretch.
Prediction: Victor Wembanyama
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Voting, 2024-25
| Rank | Name | Team | Vote Pts | 1st Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evan Mobley | CLE | 285 | 35 |
| 2 | Dyson Daniels | ATL | 197 | 25 |
| 3 | Draymond Green | GSW | 154 | 15 |
| 4 | Luguentz Dort | OKC | 109 | 11 |
| 5 | Amen Thompson | HOU | 93 | 9 |
| 6 | Ivica Zubac | LAC | 34 | 4 |
| 7 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | MEM | 9 | 0 |
| 8 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | 5 | 1 |
| 9 | Toumani Camara | POR | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | Bam Adebayo | MIA | 3 | 0 |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | OKC | 3 | 0 | |
| Derrick White | BOS | 3 | 0 | |
| 13 | Rudy Gobert | MIN | 1 | 0 |
List of Defensive Player of the Year Winners
| Year | Name | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Evan Mobley | CLE |
| 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 |
| 1998-99 | Alonzo Mourning | MIA |
| 1997-98 | Dikembe Mutombo | ATL |
| 1996-97 | Dikembe Mutombo | ATL |
| 1995-96 | Gary Payton | SEA |
| 1994-95 | Dikembe Mutombo | DEN |
| 1993-94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | HOU |
| 1992-93 | Hakeem Olajuwon | HOU |
| 1991-92 | David Robinson | SAS |
| 1990-91 | Dennis Rodman | DET |
| 1989-90 | Dennis Rodman | DET |
| 1988-89 | Mark Eaton | UTA |
| 1987-88 | Michael Jordan | CHI |
| 1986-87 | Michael Cooper | LAL |
| 1985-86 | Alvin Robertson | SAS |
| 1984-85 | Mark Eaton | UTA |
| 1983-84 | Sidney Moncrief | MIL |
| 1982-83 | Sidney Moncrief | MIL |
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.
Who is the Youngest Player to Win NBA Defensive Player of the Year?
Dwight Howard is the youngest player to win NBA’s DPOY award, accomplishing the feat at 23 years and 128 days during the 2025 season.
There have been five players to win DPOY at 23 years old in the history of the league:
- Alvin Robertson (1985-86)
- Dwight Howard (2008-09)
- Kawhi Leonard (2014-15)
- Jaren Jackson Jr. (2022-23)
- Evan Mobley (2024-25)
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