Asked in French by @TheoQuintard about contending for the DPOY, Wemby responded with this: “I know that Rudy (Gobert) has a very good chance of winning it this year, and it would be deserved. Let him win it now, because after that it's no longer his turn."
It is said that an NBA team cannot thrive because of offense alone. Defense is a very important feature for any franchise that is hoping to have a strong regular season and run in the playoffs. This year, there are more defensive powerhouses than perhaps ever before in the league. And multiple stars are in the running for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar is having a dominant season, restricting his opponents to 47.5% from the field and 57.3% from within six feet of the rim. He is contesting the most NBA's sixth-most two-pointers and fourth-most overall shorts per game.
The Lakers have a weak ranking when it comes to defensive, but Davis is still one of the best big men in the league.
Jarrett Allen is a huge part of why the Cleveland Cavaliers have been thriving so much this year. The team has the third-best defense in 2023-24 and Allen is limiting his opponents to 56.6% from six feet and only 32.3% from the three-point line.
Allen is ninth in the league in rebounding and is averaging 1.9 steals and blocks per game.
Miami Heat big man Bam Adebayo has never made a secret about his desire to win DPOY and this season might be his best chance. The Heat's defensive ranking rises to 110 per game when he's on the court and opponents are posting just 44.2% from the field when he's playing.
The San Antonio Spurs rookie might be the most exciting young player in the league right now and his defense is a huge reason why.
When Wembanyama is playing, the Spurs' defensive rating reaches a top-five level and it dips down to record-low levels when he's on the bench. That says it all.
He is averaging 3.5 blocks per game, more than anyone else in the league, during just his first year. He is also putting up 10.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game too. He might not win Rookie of the Year this season but there is a very good chance he does soon.
The frontrunner for this season's Defensive Player of the Year is definitely Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves. By all standards and measures, Gobert is is head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the competition.
The Timberwolves have the best defensive rating in the league and Gobert is limiting his opponents to 43% from the field. He is ranked second in rebounds and sixth in blocks too.
The Timberwolves are having a terrific season and Gobert is a major part of that.
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