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Who are the top defensive players in NBA history? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Gary Payton: known as “The Glove” for his lockdown perimeter defense, Payton was a 9x All-Defensive pick and led the league in steals in 1995-1996 while also earning Defensive Player of the Year honors.
9. Ben Wallace: the career record-holder for most NBA games played by an undrafted player, Wallace was a defensive force for the Detroit Pistons in the early 2000s: a record-tying 4x Defensive Player of the Year, 6x All-Defensive, and 2x rebounding champion who helped Detroit win the 2003-2004 championship.
8. Michael Jordan: widely regarded as the GOAT, Jordan was best-known for his offense, but was a tenacious defender as well, especially earlier on in his career; in addition to nine All-Defensive nods and 3x leading the league in steals, he was Defensive Player of the Year in 1987-1988.
7. Scottie Pippen: the Robin to Michael Jordan’s Batman on six Chicago Bulls championship teams, Pippen was arguably a better perimeter defender: the 10x All-Defensive selection was a versatile defender who also led the league in steals in 1994-1995.
6. Tim Duncan: a franchise cornerstone and consistently dominant force on both ends of the court, Duncan earned All-Defensive honors an astounding 15x and ranks top-10 all-time in both career rebounds and blocks.
5. Kevin Garnett: the first high school player to make a direct jump to the NBA in 20 years, Garnett was a force both offensively and defensively – on the defensive end, the 2007-2008 Defensive Player of the Year was All-Defensive 12x and led the league in rebounding four straight years in his prime.
4. Dikembe Mutombo: one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history, Mutombo won Defensive Player of the Year a record 4x, while also leading the league in blocks three times and winning two rebounding titles.
3. Dennis Rodman: a tenacious rebounder and defender who could essentially defend every position, Rodman was an 8x All-Defensive selection who won seven straight rebounding titles and was also Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons.
2. Hakeem Olajuwon: a 9x All-Defensive pick and 2x Defensive Player of the Year, Olajuwon is the NBA’s all-time leading shot-blocker (3x league leader) and is the only player in NBA history to win regular season MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, an NBA title, and Finals MVP in the same season (1994).
1. Bill Russell: the lynchpin of the championship Boston Celtics teams of the 1950s and 1960s, Russell played in an era when defensive accolades and statistics were not kept, but he averaged an astounding 22.5 rebounds per game for his career and has by far the most defensive win-shares in NBA history.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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