With only a little over a month left in the NBA regular season, we are starting to get a better and better idea of who could take home some of the league’s most coveted awards. Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves is currently the betting favorite to win the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award at -700 (*odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*). Gobert is already a 3-time DPOY and is in the conversation for the award every single year. However, there are a few other players, including the rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama, who could easily sneak in and steal the award if things were to shake out differently.
Victor Wembanyama (+700)
Lurking right behind Gobert in the race for DPOY is San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama. Wembanyama is already the strong favorite to win Rookie of the Year, at -2500. His odds to win DPOY are second-best, at +700 (also courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*). Victor Wembanyama averages an insane 3.4 blocks per game, which is first in the entire NBA. This looks great compared to Rudy Gobert at 8th, who averages 2.1 blocks per game. Wembanyama’s not just a shot blocker, either. He averages 1.3 steals per game, which is the most in the league among non-guards, and is more than double Rudy Gobert’s 0.6 steals per game. In the month of February alone, Wembanyama had more total blocks than 5 other entire NBA teams.
Victor Wembanyama had more blocks than 5 teams in February:
Wembanyama 47
Hornets 45
Wizards 43
Clippers 37
Heat 34
Blazers 34— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) March 1, 2024
The only reason Wembanyama is not the favorite to win DPOY is because statistics don’t tell the whole story. Rudy Gobert is the anchor for the best defensive team in the entire NBA. The Minnesota Timberwolves have a great defensive rating of 107.8. 21 of the last 23 DPOYs have been on a team that boasted a defensive rating that was top 5 in the league, and the last 11 DPOYs have all been on a team that was top 3. This makes sense, considering that the ability to make your team’s defense better is a major factor in measuring your individual defensive importance. The San Antonio Spurs, despite having Victor Wembanyama, have a defensive rating of 117.3, which is 7th worst in the NBA.
Other Contenders to Win DPOY
- Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers (+2500)
- Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder (+8000)
- Derrick White, Boston Celtics (+10000)
*Odds also courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook*
All three of these guys are long shots to win DPOY but have value at +2500 odds or longer. Seeing another rookie in contention to win this award in Chet Holmgren is quite a surprise. No rookie has ever won DPOY in the history of the NBA. If Wembanyama or Holmgren were able to finish strong, it would be a groundbreaking season for either of them. Jarrett Allen, Chet Holmgren, and Derrick White are all on teams that are top 5 in the league in defensive rating, which automatically gives them a better chance to take home the award than players like Bam Adebayo (+3000) or Anthony Davis (+5500).
In the end, there are a lot of great defensive players in the NBA, but it realistically comes down to a two-man race between Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama. The award is Rudy Gobert’s to lose right now, but Wembanyama might have the individual stats to overcome his team’s defensive woes. Wembanyama could make history by being the only rookie to ever win Defensive Player of the Year. All he needs is a strong finish to his already amazing first season.
About the Author
Caden is a massive sports fan and has been following the professional leagues for as long as he can remember. His main sports are NFL and NBA, but he watches and can talk about all sports. If you want more great sports insight or are looking for sports betting advice, follow Caden on Twitter @CadenBahry and follow us @TotalApexSports.
