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Game state source: whynba · Retrieved Oct 9, 6:37 pm EDTNBA Defensive Player of the Year winners
44 official selections across 44 award seasons, 1983–2026. Explore the winners, historical teams and repeat recipients.
Reference checked 2026-10-09; source revision dated 2026-09-16. Reference revision. Historical team names and recipient labels are preserved. Counts describe this dated award history.
At a glance
- Latest listed winner
- Victor Wembanyama — 2025–26
- Most selections in this history
- Ben Wallace (4), Dikembe Mutombo (4), Rudy Gobert (4)
- Distinct official recipients
- 27
Official winners by season
Career award no. is the recipient’s cumulative total at that selection. Team names reflect the franchise name at the time of the award.
| Season | Player | Team at award | Source position | Source nationality | Career award no. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025–26 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | Center | France | 1 |
| 2024–25 | Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers | Power forward | United States | 1 |
| 2023–24 | Rudy Gobert | Minnesota Timberwolves | Center | France | 4 |
| 2022–23 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies | Power forward | United States | 1 |
| 2021–22 | Marcus Smart | Boston Celtics | Point guard | United States | 1 |
| 2020–21 | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | Center | France | 3 |
| 2019–20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | Power forward | Greece | 1 |
| 2018–19 | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | Center | France | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | Center | France | 1 |
| 2016–17 | Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors | Power forward | United States | 1 |
| 2015–16 | Kawhi Leonard | San Antonio Spurs | Small forward | United States | 2 |
| 2014–15 | Kawhi Leonard | San Antonio Spurs | Small forward | United States | 1 |
| 2013–14 | Joakim Noah | Chicago Bulls | Center | France | 1 |
| 2012–13 | Marc Gasol | Memphis Grizzlies | Center | Spain | 1 |
| 2011–12 | Tyson Chandler | New York Knicks | Center | United States | 1 |
| 2010–11 | Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | Center | United States | 3 |
| 2009–10 | Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | Center | United States | 2 |
| 2008–09 | Dwight Howard | Orlando Magic | Center | United States | 1 |
| 2007–08 | Kevin Garnett | Boston Celtics | Power forward | United States | 1 |
| 2006–07 | Marcus Camby | Denver Nuggets | Center | United States | 1 |
| 2005–06 | Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | Center | United States | 4 |
| 2004–05 | Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | Center | United States | 3 |
| 2003–04 | Ron Artest | Indiana Pacers | Small forward | United States | 1 |
| 2002–03 | Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | Center | United States | 2 |
| 2001–02 | Ben Wallace | Detroit Pistons | Center | United States | 1 |
| 2000–01 | Dikembe Mutombo | Philadelphia 76ers | Center | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 4 |
| 1999–00 | Alonzo Mourning | Miami Heat | Center | United States | 2 |
| 1998–99 | Alonzo Mourning | Miami Heat | Center | United States | 1 |
| 1997–98 | Dikembe Mutombo | Atlanta Hawks | Center | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 3 |
| 1996–97 | Dikembe Mutombo | Atlanta Hawks | Center | Zaire | 2 |
| 1995–96 | Gary Payton | Seattle SuperSonics | Point guard | United States | 1 |
| 1994–95 | Dikembe Mutombo | Denver Nuggets | Center | Zaire | 1 |
| 1993–94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | Center | United States | 2 |
| 1992–93 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | Center | United States | 1 |
| 1991–92 | David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs | Center | United States | 1 |
| 1990–91 | Dennis Rodman | Detroit Pistons | Small forward | United States | 2 |
| 1989–90 | Dennis Rodman | Detroit Pistons | Small forward | United States | 1 |
| 1988–89 | Mark Eaton | Utah Jazz | Center | United States | 2 |
| 1987–88 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | Shooting guard | United States | 1 |
| 1986–87 | Michael Cooper | Los Angeles Lakers | Shooting guard | United States | 1 |
| 1985–86 | Alvin Robertson | San Antonio Spurs | Shooting guard | United States | 1 |
| 1984–85 | Mark Eaton | Utah Jazz | Center | United States | 1 |
| 1983–84 | Sidney Moncrief | Milwaukee Bucks | Shooting guard | United States | 2 |
| 1982–83 | Sidney Moncrief | Milwaukee Bucks | Shooting guard | United States | 1 |
Every repeat winner
- Ben Wallace 4
- Dikembe Mutombo 4
- Rudy Gobert 4
- Dwight Howard 3
- Alonzo Mourning 2
- Dennis Rodman 2
- Hakeem Olajuwon 2
- Kawhi Leonard 2
- Mark Eaton 2
- Sidney Moncrief 2
Questions about this award history
- Who is the latest Defensive Player of the Year winner in this archive?
- Victor Wembanyama — 2025–26, in the reference checked on 2026-10-09. This archive contains completed award selections, not predictions.
- Who has the most Defensive Player of the Year selections in this history?
- Ben Wallace (4), Dikembe Mutombo (4), Rudy Gobert (4). Counts include official selections from award year 1983 through 2026; tied leaders are all included.
- How many seasons does this Defensive Player of the Year archive cover?
- 44 award seasons and 44 official selections, from 1983 through 2026. A shared award counts as one season with multiple selections.