Five NBA Players with the Best Odds of Winning the Defensive Player of the Year Next Year
Every year, the NBA brings us a season filled with incredible individual performances culminating in awards handed out to the top players. One of the most significant awards is for the Defensive Player of the Year. This is the player who dominates the defensive side of the ball, serving as an incredible deterrent, and it has been given to several of the greatest players of all time.
According to NBA experts, the odds for this are already available, even if the season hasn’t gotten underway. Gambling sites have several favourites that they peg as the most likely players to earn this award. Let’s look at some of the players that have the highest odds for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Jaren Jackson Jr.
After winning the award last year, it is easy to see why sportsbooks like Bodog have listed Jaren Jackson Jr. as the top candidate for this year. Jackson is a special talent on the defensive side of the ball. He is an elite shot blocker who swatted away three shots per game last year, which was easily the most in the league. He is not just a rim protector, either. Jackson can help out in an array of ways. He is very nimble for his size and understands the game incredibly well. He is also just entering his prime at 24 years of age.
Evan Mobley
Evan Mobley may be young, but he has established a massive reputation on the defensive side of the ball through just two years in the NBA. Last year, he made his first All-Defensive Team, and any betting man would wager that it likely won’t be his last. Mobley has the goods. While he isn’t bulky, he is seven feet tall, very agile, and moves well. He is already a top-tier rim deterrent and has shown the ability to switch onto guards. He is fast, smart, and still growing into his frame. If he only improves, next year could mark a triumphant DPOY season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis has achieved many accolades throughout his career. He is still only 28 and will certainly add to his trophy case. Giannis earned the DPOY award in 2020 and has been on the All-Defensive team five times. In short, he is an absolute beast on the less glamorous side of the ball. Giannis is an incredibly powerful athlete with immaculate timing. A typical year from him will most likely have him getting more than a block and a steal per game, and Giannis is still at the height of his powers.
Anthony Davis
Multiple DPOY trophies were expected in Anthony Davis’ future when he first arrived in the league, but this award has eluded him. Still, he’s been on four All-Defensive teams and led the league in blocks three times. He is a bona fide stud on the defensive end of the floor, and this year’s playoff showed he can still strike terror into ball-handlers. Health has to be a concern, as it has been for the past few years. But if Davis can stay on the floor, he still is a ferocious defensive centerpiece.
Bam Adebayo
The Miami Heat have consistently had a great defense lately, and Adebayo has been a big reason why. Bam Adebayo is the type of switchable defender the modern team needs. He can play on the perimeter, block shots, and switch from guards and forwards to centers. He can do everything, and at 26, he is still at the top of his game. Adebayo’s four All-Defensive teams show the respect he has around the league, and this could be the year he earns the top award he’s been gunning for.
