For the first time this past April, the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year was awarded as the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, named after the league’s all-time leading shot blocker.
It was therefore fitting that Memphis power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. was first to win the new trophy. Jackson was the NBA’s leading shot blocker in 2022-23, averaging three swats per game. He earned the nod from the media over Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez, who finished second.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds heading into the 2023-24 season have Jackson favored to win the honor again. The best odds on Jackson are , with Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley who finished third in the voting this past year not far behind at . Jackson held opponents to 46.9 percent shooting at the rim, the best clip among defenders who had at least 300 shots defended at the basket.
Jaren Jackson Jr. leads NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds
Here are the latest odds at top-rated sportsbook for NBA DPOY:
Despite missing the first 14 games of the 2022-23 season due to offseason foot surgery, Jackson made a huge impact once he got acclimated. The Grizzlies started 9-5 without him, fell to 10-8 working him back in but then won nine of their next 10 and ultimately finished with the Western Conference’s second-best record, winning the Southwest Division.
Jackson started at center for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the FIBA World Cup this summer and struggled on the boards but will benefit from having 7-footer Steven Adams next to him in the lineup. He’ll also have a new teammate helping set a stingy tone with 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart coming on board via a three-team trade.
With Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games and Tyus Jones shipped out to Washington in the Smart deal that also landed Kristaps Porzingis in Boston, the Grizzlies will have a new look as they look to build off last season’s success while staying afloat until Morant returns the week before Christmas.
NBA DPOY contenders at top sportsbooks
Smart, the only guard to win Defensive Player of the Year honors since Gary Payton in 1996, will slot into Dillon Brooks’ role enforcer role once Morant returns. He's listed as high as , but is second among guards behind only Boston’s Jrue Holiday (). Brooks left for Houston via free agency and is to win DPOY. Holiday finished seventh in the voting last season and could get a boost with a larger spotlight on him with the Celtics.
Mobley is right there behind Jackson and has an opportunity to really take off this season. The 22-year-old led his rookie class in rebounds and blocks in his first season and was named to the All-Defensive First Team last season alongside Jackson, Lopez, Holiday and Chicago guard Alex Caruso. Mobley blocked 1.5 shots per game and continues to blossom playing next to center Jarrett Allen, who also ranks in the top 20 odds-wise.
Lopez () and Giannis Antetokounmpo () get even more respect as an elite defensive frontcourt combo. Lopez finished second a season ago after blocking 193 shots and contesting 17.5 attempts per game, both league-highs. Antetokounmpo won DPOY for 2019-20, and finished sixth in the voting last season despite his contributions being overshadowed by Lopez. They’ll have to be even better this season with Holiday gone since Damian Lillard isn’t as sound a defender.
Minnesota 7-footer Rudy Gobert () is a three-time winner and most recently claimed the honors in 2021. His scoring, rebounding and blocks per game were all down in his first season with the Timberwolves but he was a bright spot during the playoffs, despite failing to slow down Nikola Jokic, and is a threat to join Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo as a four-time recipient.
Miami’s Bam Adebayo (), L.A.’s Anthony Davis () and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid () all have the potential to win DPOY if they can stay healthy.
They’ll have to display the stamina to set the tone on that side of the ball in addition to factoring heavily on offense, which is one reason why Jackson, Mobley and Lopez have an edge since they can more easily afford to concentrate on the defensive side.
Draymond Green () still prioritizes defense above all else, but the 33-year-old 2016-17 DPOY has probably collected his last piece of individual hardware, although he did collect three first-place votes in finishing fourth last season.
NBA rookies Wembanyama, Holmgren could factor into DPOY race
A pair of rookies could also factor into the DPOY race due to their tremendous length and the likelihood both will give Jackson a run for his money in the shot-blocking department. The No. 2 pick in 2022, Chet Holmgren (), is healthy after foot surgery and should start at center for Oklahoma City. His ability to switch on pick-and-rolls due to his great mobility and that great wingspan should make him an impact defender immediately.
The same can be said about 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama (), whose wingspan measures nearly eight feet. The 7-foot-4 19-year-old may not play the 65 games required to win the award as Gregg Popovich figures to treat him with kid gloves since San Antonio isn’t likely to contend for a playoff spot in his rookie season. But his physical gifts will make him a game-changing defensive presence, something he’s already shown off in the preseason.
Holmgren has a real opportunity to win the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy since the Thunder badly needed his presence last season and overachieved despite not having a true rim protector. If they’re vastly improved and he’s a major reason why, the rookie is likely to get some love.
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