As the 2024-25 NBA season reaches its halfway point, the competition for the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award is getting intense. This award celebrates the league’s best “defenders”. Defenders are the players who are great at stopping opponents and protecting the basket.
While taller players often win this award, this season has seen amazing defensive performances from both big men and guards. One standout is Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks, who has shown incredible defensive skills.
In this news article, we’ll look at the top five NBA defensive players after Week 11 and highlight how their defence is making a difference for their teams.
Contents
Top 5 NBA Defensive Players Candidates After Week 11
As we progress through the 2024-25 NBA season, after Week 11, here are the top five candidates:
1. Victor Wembanyama – San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama is crushing it this season with the San Antonio Spurs. He’s the top shot-blocker in the NBA, swatting away an average of 4.0 shots per game. Basically, he’s out there stopping teams from scoring by knocking their shots out of the way.
Against the Chicago Bulls, he went off with eight blocks in one game. That’s wild. With all these blocks, it’s clear he’s one of the best defenders around. It’s tough for anyone to score near the basket when he’s on the court.
2. Dyson Daniels – Atlanta Hawks
Dyson Daniels is a 21-year-old guard from Australia playing for the Atlanta Hawks, and he’s killing it on defense this season. He’s leading the NBA with 3.1 steals per game, showing off his crazy quick hands and sharp instincts.
One game against the Timberwolves was wild—he had eight steals and even added two blocks. No one in Hawks history has ever done that. He’s been so good that he was named the Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month for October and November.
3. Jaren Jackson Jr. – Memphis Grizzlies
Jaren Jackson Jr. was on fire in a recent game against the Houston Rockets. He blocked six shots, which is the most he’s had in a game this season.
In the 2024-25 season, he’s been doing great with 1.7 blocks and 1.5 steals per game over 36 games. Just recently, he played against the Houston Rockets and really showed off his defense, getting six blocks and two steals in that game.
The Grizzlies really count on him to stop players from scoring close to the basket, and he does it like a pro.
4. Anthony Davis – Los Angeles Lakers
Anthony Davis is really showing up on defense this season, with an average of 2.2 blocks per game, making him one of the top shot-blockers in the NBA. His defensive rating is 109.6, which proves just how much he’s helping the team on that end.
Lately, he’s been on fire, blocking multiple shots in a game. For example, he had three blocks against the La clippers on January 19, 2025, and four blocks against the Washington Wizards on January 21, 2025.
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been a top player in the NBA this season, and he’s even in the MVP conversation.
Everyone talks about how great he is on offense, but he’s also a beast on defense. He’s second in steals, getting over two a game, and has helped the OKC Thunder have the best defensive rating in the league (103.2).
Criteria for NBA DPOY Consideration
To determine the leading candidates, several key factors are considered:
1. Individual Defensive Statistics
Here are numbers that show how well a player performs on defense:
- Blocks per game: How often a player stops the ball from going into the basket by blocking an opponent’s shot.
- Steals per game: How many times a player takes the ball away from an opponent without breaking the rules, giving their team possession.
- Defensive rebounds per game: How often a player grabs the ball after the other team misses a shot, stopping their chance to score.
2. Impact on Team Defense
This looks at how a player’s presence improves the team’s defense. For example, if the team gives up fewer points when the player is on the court compared to when they’re not, it shows the player is helping the defense.
3. Consistency and Key Performances
Coaches and analysts pay attention to players who defend well in most games and have standout moments where their defense plays a big role in helping the team win.
Overall, we’re halfway through the 2024-25 NBA season, and the race for Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) is getting intense. Right now, Victor Wembanyama is leading the pack with his crazy shot-blocking skills. But Dyson Daniels isn’t far behind, racking up steals like it’s nothing. It’s gonna be exciting to see how these guys keep playing and who ends up taking home the DPOY award at the end of the season.
