The Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award remains one of the NBA’s most prized individual honors, celebrating the player who best impacts games through defense — whether via rim protection, steals, blocks, or lockdown perimeter guarding. With defenses becoming more sophisticated and positional versatility rising, the 2025-26 DPOY race promises to be as fascinating as ever.
Below, we examine the front-runners, sleepers, and dark horses, and make our prediction on who will lift the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy at season’s end.
Key Factors That Decide DPOY
To win DPOY, a player generally needs:
- 1. Impact on team defense — voters reward players whose teams improve defensively with them on the floor.
- 2. Statistical counting stats — blocks, steals, defensive rebounds are persuasive, but context matters.
- 3. Versatility — ability to guard multiple positions, switch, and defend in transition is critical.
- 4. Availability / games played — durability matters. Past winners often played deep into the season.
- 5. Narrative & reputation — players already seen as defensive stalwarts have a baseline advantage. NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2025-26
NBA Defensive Player of the Year 2025/2026
| Rank | Player | Team | Reason for Ranking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | The clear favorite (–180). A defensive phenomenon with elite shot-blocking and rim protection. It’s his award to lose. |
| 2 | Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder | +650 — Excellent rim protector who can switch on guards. A rising star anchoring OKC’s defense. |
| 3 | Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers | +1200 — Last year’s DPOY winner. Versatile defender who excels at both interior and perimeter defense. |
| 4 | Anthony Davis | Dallas Mavericks | +2500 — Elite defender when healthy. His timing and length make him one of the league’s best shot-blockers. |
| 5 | Dyson Daniels | Atlanta Hawks | +2000 — Quick, disruptive guard with strong on-ball defense and great instincts for steals. |
| 6 | Amen Thompson | Houston Rockets | +1600 — Athletic, aggressive, and capable of guarding multiple positions. A dark horse contender. |
| 7 | Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors | +4000 — Veteran leader still known for defensive IQ and versatility. |
| 8 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies | +3000 — Former DPOY who remains an elite shot-blocker and rim protector. |
| 9 | Lou Dort | Oklahoma City Thunder | +3500 — Lockdown perimeter defender who frustrates top scorers every night. |
| 10 | Bam Adebayo | Miami Heat | +2800 — Consistent DPOY candidate known for switchability and defensive leadership. |
Prediction & Final Thoughts
At current odds and considering historical patterns, Victor Wembanyama is the most likely winner of the 2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award — health permitting. His combination of shot-blocking, rim deterrence, and elite length make him the modern prototype of a defensive anchor.
If Wembanyama falters or misses time, Chet Holmgren becomes the next favorite. He has the defensive tools and plays in a system that supports elite defense.
Evan Mobley remains in the mix, especially if he replicates his form from his DPOY season and if his team continues to rank among the best defenses.
