Scottie Barnes has been a vital cog in the Toronto Raptors’ success this season. The 24-year-old has been a major two-way presence and their defensive stalwart in their impressive run so far.
The Raptors have been a pleasant surprise in the Eastern Conference this season, boasting a healthy 32-23 record and holding fifth place in the standings.
Tracy McGrady Makes a Bold DPOY Prediction Ahead of NBA’s Return After All-Star Break
Speaking on the ‘Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady‘ podcast, the NBA legend picked Scottie Barnes as the frontrunner to win DPOY.
“I’m going with Scottie Barnes,” McGrady said. “I think Scottie Barnes is a candidate. He’s my frontrunner, but of course, you’ve got Wemby and Cason Wallace. Those three, for me, are the guys.”
Defensive Player of the Year?@Tmac_213: “I’m going with Scottie Barnes.”
👀✍️ @FanDuel pic.twitter.com/iFGOHcz5uz
— Cousins with Vince Carter & Tracy McGrady (@VinceAndTmac) February 16, 2026
Barnes has been a force for Toronto this season, averaging 19.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1.3 steals. Per Statmuse, the Raptors forward boasts a 110.1 defensive rating and has been impactful on that end of the floor. San Antonio Spurs big Victor Wembanyama has been widely considered the favorite for DPOY.
His impressive run now sees him as a two-time NBA All-Star, and, as McGrady sees it, he is one of the names to win DPOY. Like the former icon, Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković believed his star is already a clear winner of the honor.
“Scottie is the defensive player of the year,” Rajaković told the media, per The Athletic earlier this month. “Scottie’s an All-Star. Scottie is gonna be … Finals MVP one day. Scottie’s gonna be the MVP of this league one day. I’m calling it now… You can write down the date when I said that, OK?”
“Scottie’s not even close to where he’s gonna be (when) he’s 27, 28,” Rajaković added. “There is so much that he’s improving week by week. And the more he’s improving, he’s making my job easier.”
The Raptors’ head coach’s comments suggest that Barnes will be one of the cornerstones of the franchise as they look to build for the future. They invested in a young, promising center in Trayce Jackson-Davis during the deadline window to add to their plans to field a young unit.
Toronto is primed to make the playoffs this season. This will be their first postseason appearance since the 2021-22 season, when they were sent packing by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round.
On the season front, Barnes and the Raptors kickstart their All-Star break return with a two-game road trip, taking on the Chicago Bulls and the Milwaukee Bucks. They return home for a skirmish against defending champions Oklahoma City Thunder.
