Final
Houston Rockets at Dallas Mavericks
135 – 117
2026-27 · Preseason · Preseason
Game state source: whynba · Retrieved Oct 9, 6:37 pm EDTNBA award history
Verified MVP and Defensive Player of the Year seasons, player profiles, sources and coverage gaps.
Defensive Player of the Year winners
This archive contains 39 verified winning seasons. The official comparison list covers 1983–2026 award years.
Partial history. Award years missing from this verified dataset: 2017, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. This is a source-coverage gap, not a claim that no award was presented. It cannot establish all-time player totals.
Checked against the NBA’s historical winners list. Captured .
39 verified records · Page 1 of 2
| Season | Award year | Winner | Source record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | 2022 | Marcus Smart | Details |
| 2020-21 | 2021 | Rudy Gobert | Details |
| 2019-20 | 2020 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Details |
| 2018-19 | 2019 | Rudy Gobert | Details |
| 2017-18 | 2018 | Rudy Gobert | Details |
| 2015-16 | 2016 | Kawhi Leonard | Details |
| 2014-15 | 2015 | Kawhi Leonard | Details |
| 2013-14 | 2014 | Joakim Noah | Details |
| 2012-13 | 2013 | Marc Gasol | Details |
| 2011-12 | 2012 | Tyson Chandler | Details |
| 2010-11 | 2011 | Dwight Howard | Details |
| 2009-10 | 2010 | Dwight Howard | Details |
| 2008-09 | 2009 | Dwight Howard | Details |
| 2007-08 | 2008 | Kevin Garnett | Details |
| 2006-07 | 2007 | Marcus Camby | Details |
| 2005-06 | 2006 | Ben Wallace | Details |
| 2004-05 | 2005 | Ben Wallace | Details |
| 2003-04 | 2004 | Metta Sandiford-Artest | Details |
| 2002-03 | 2003 | Ben Wallace | Details |
| 2001-02 | 2002 | Ben Wallace | Details |
| 2000-01 | 2001 | Dikembe Mutombo | Details |
| 1999-00 | 2000 | Alonzo Mourning | Details |
| 1998-99 | 1999 | Alonzo Mourning | Details |
| 1997-98 | 1998 | Dikembe Mutombo | Details |
| 1996-97 | 1997 | Dikembe Mutombo | Details |
| 1995-96 | 1996 | Gary Payton | Details |
| 1994-95 | 1995 | Dikembe Mutombo | Details |
| 1993-94 | 1994 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Details |
| 1992-93 | 1993 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Details |
| 1991-92 | 1992 | David Robinson | Details |
Award history · NBA historical winners · CC0 data license. The selected award is separate from other award categories. Player links use exact source identifiers.
Explore all eight award histories
Season-by-season references, repeat winners and shared awards. These dated reference archives are separate from the verified MVP and Defensive Player of the Year records above.
Awards eligibility: How the 65-game rule, minutes and exceptions work.