The NBA announced that Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star big man Evan Mobley won the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year award. The voting was decently close, especially for an award that usually isn’t.
More often than not, the players who win Defensive Player of the Year run away with it. For that reason, there’s a case to be made for several other players instead of Mobley.
5 Players Who Had a Case To Win DPOY Over Evan Mobley
Draymond Green
Draymond Green is one of the best defenders of his era — and maybe of all time — and he showed it again when the Golden State Warriors won a lot at the beginning and end of their season. The only issue was the rough few months in the middle when their season tailspinned.
The Warriors’ defense wouldn’t function nearly as well without Green. He may not block a ton of shots, but his IQ and versatility are why Golden State’s defense has stayed so tough since he became a core player
Victor Wembanyama
Remember how players who win this award usually win it in a landslide? Well, Victor Wembanyama fit that profile to a tee until an unfortunate blood clot prematurely ended his season early enough to knock him out of contention.
Two years into the NBA, the San Antonio Spurs’ big man has already led the league in blocks per game twice. The 7’3″ center took no time to prove he’s one of the league’s most fearsome rim protectors, which is why he is the easy choice to win in 2025-26.
Dyson Daniels
The Atlanta Hawks’ defense should be awful just because of Trae Young’s size disadvantage. And while the Hawks still aren’t good on defense, they’d be even worse without Dyson Daniels.
The Hawks’ wing broke out in his first season with Atlanta, averaging three steals a game, which led the league. Steals are steals, but Daniels also showcased his iso defense against some of the NBA’s best players repeatedly.
Luguentz Dort
On a team filled with elite defenders, Luguentz Dort stands out because of his versatility and physicality. His detractors sometimes call his defense a little excessive, but Dort doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty.
Because of his build and footwork, it is next to impossible for anyone to score on Dort. His presence alone helps other defenders on the Oklahoma City Thunder feel quite comfortable playing next to him, and it helped form one of the best defenses ever assembled in the NBA.
Ivica Zubac
After being hailed as one of the NBA’s most underrated players for years, Ivica Zubac broke out well enough that he’s no longer flying under the radar. In fact, his defense helped the Los Angeles Clippers survive Kawhi Leonard’s extended absence this season.
His blocks per game won’t impress anyone, as he averaged only 1.1 per game. However, that’s because teams were too scared to try. Opponents went at Zubac to score at the rim only 34.3% of the time, and that’s because of how towering he is.
At the end of the day, just because Mobley won the award doesn’t take away from the fact that all these players are among the NBA’s best defenders. They may not have won this year, but don’t be surprised if one of them takes it home next season.
