60 Greatest Defensive Players in NBA History
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Michael Jordan, like many other players and coaches in NBA history, loved to say that defense wins championships. In fact, he'd make that quite clear after each and every title that he won with the Chicago Bulls.
Even though that adage is slightly misleading, defense is indeed a very important part of the championship puzzle.
So, who are the best players on the defensive end of the court in the history of The Association?
At first, I set out to rank the 60 best such players, but ran into difficulties. After all, how am I supposed to compare the tenacious perimeter defense of Gary Payton to the unmatched fundamentals of Tim Duncan in the low post?
In the end, I compiled a list of my 60 best defenders in the history of the NBA and then sorted them into positions before ranking them by position. Read on to see how it unfolded.
Point Guards
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Generally some of the quickest players (both with hands and feet) on the court, the point guards are the first line of defense.
10 of them showed up in my top 60 defensive players of all time.
Read on for who they are.
10. Fat Lever
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Years Played: 1982-1994
Position: Point guard
Team: Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets, Dallas Mavericks
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.2 steals and 0.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive Second Team
If only we were judging names here. Then Fat Lever would find himself a lot higher up the point guard leaderboard. But as it stands, this terrific thief has to settle for last amongst the point guards.
9. Rajon Rondo
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Years Played: 2006-present
Position: Point guard
Team: Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.9 steals and 0.1 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
The best defensive point guard in the NBA, Rajon Rondo makes up for his lack of scoring abilities with his great nose for the ball and intense hustle on the less glamorous side of the court.
8. Chris Paul
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Years Played: 2005-present
Position: Point Guard
Team: New Orleans Hornets
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.4 steals and 0.1 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
CP3 is always among the league leaders when it comes to steals, finishing atop the NBA multiple times in his still-young NBA career. Paul is the rare point guard capable of thoroughly dominating a game from either end of the court.
7. Norm Van Lier
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Years Played: 1969-1979
Position: Point guard
Team: Cincinnati Royals, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.8 steals and 0.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive First Team, Five-time All-Defensive Second Team
Norm Van Lier may be a bit forgotten about nowadays, but the man most famous for his contributions to the Chicago Bulls in the 1970s remain very impressive. Stormin' Norman played with virtually unmatched intensity at all times.
6. John Stockton
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Years Played:1984-2003
Position:Point guard
Team: Utah Jazz
Career Per-Game Stats:2.2 steals and 0.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades:Five-time All-Defensive Second Team
Through a combination of dirty elbows (that went mostly unnoticed by referees) and a great nose for the basketball on the defensive end, John Stockton racked up a ton of his myriad assists thanks to stealing the ball away and hitting a wide open man on the ensuing fast break.
5. Maurice Cheeks
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Years Played: 1978-1993
Position: Point guard
Team: Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, New Jersey Nets
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.1 steals and 0.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
Another great ballhawk, Maurice Cheeks played during the golden age of guards in the NBA and still managed to shut the vast majority of them down. No one wanted to go up against this guy during his prime.
4. Jason Kidd
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Years Played: 1994-present
Position: Point guard
Team: Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.0 steals and 0.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time All-Defensive First Team, Five-time All-Defensive Second Team
It's hard to believe it now that Jason Kidd is pushing 40 years of age, but during his prime, Kidd was incredibly quick and just as effective on defense as offense. He remains a great rebounder and stealer of the basketball, but he's not as good as he once was anymore.
3. Dennis Johnson
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Years Played: 1976-1990
Position: Point guard
Team: Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Six-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
During the beginning of his professional career with the Seattle SuperSonics, DJ didn't seem like much of a defender, but he bloomed as his career went on. With the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics, Johnson was a mainstay on the All-Defensive squads thanks to his great on-ball defense and surprising blocking ability for a point guard.
2. Gary Payton
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Years Played: 1990-2007
Position: Point guard
Team: Seattle SuperSonics, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.8 steals and 0.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Nine-time All-Defensive First Team
Gary Payton was called The Glove because of his incredible defense, capable of smothering opposing players like a baseball glove does a baseball. Enough said.
1. Walt Frazier
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Years Played: 1967-1980
Position:Point guard
Team: New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.9 steals and 0.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Seven-time All-Defensive First Team
Clyde was all about style, off the court, on the offensive end of the court and even on the defensive side of the court. With incredibly quick hands, Frazier would lure the player with the ball to sleep and then suddenly pounce to steal the ball away. He was really the first player to make thievery on the court into an art.
Shooting Guards
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Shooting guards are generally some of the best scorers in the NBA, which makes guarding them especially difficult.
13 shooting guards showed up in my top 60 defensive players of all time.
Read on for who they are.
13. Dwyane Wade
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Years Played: 2003-present
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Miami Heat
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.8 steals and 1.0 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
Dwyane Wade is an unbelievable offensive player, which makes his contributions of defense go largely unnoticed. But Wade is a tenacious on-the-ball defender capable of shutting down even the best scorers in the current NBA.
12. Nate McMillan
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Years Played: 1986-1998
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Seattle SuperSonics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.9 steals and 0.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
Nate McMillan led the league in steals once and was a great their for the entire duration of his career. It's not surprise that he's a defensively oriented head coach now.
11. Micheal Ray Richardson
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Years Played: 1978-1986
Position: Shooting guard
Team: New York Knicks, Golden State Warriors, New Jersey Nets
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.6 steals and 0.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive First Team
Micheal Ray Richardson's career average of 2.6 steals per game place him second all time. While that's pretty impressive, Richardson wasn't quite as good at preventing points as some of the other players on this list.
10. Doug Christie
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Years Played: 1992-2007
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.9 steals and 0.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
Doug Christie was a good enough defender that he was once specifically thought of as a Kobe-stopper. While there were games like the contest in April of 2004 when he held Kobe to just eight points, he got torched and dunked on quite a few times. But then again, Kobe did that to everyone and Christie's reputation was so stellar for a reason.
9. Kobe Bryant
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Years Played: 1996-present
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Nine-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
Speaking of Kobe, there's no doubt that he's a great defender, but I can't help but feel as though he's a bit overrated on that end of the court thanks to his offensive contributions. He's a great perimeter defender.
8. Jerry West
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Years Played: 1960-1974
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
A terrific defender, Jerry West was an even better shooter, good enough that his silhouette is still used as the NBA logo. He was still an incredible defender, a fact that is often completely overlooked.
7. Jerry Sloan
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Years Played: 1965-1976
Position: Shooting guard
Team:Baltimore Bullets, Chicago Bulls
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.2 steals and 0.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-Time All-Defensive Second Team
Jerry Sloan was a mainstay on the All-Defensive teams during his 11 seasons in the NBA. Before knee injuries ended his career, Sloan racked up enough steals to rank 10th all time in steals per game.
6. Alvin Robertson
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Years Played: 1984-1996
Position: Shooting guard
Team: San Antonio Spurs, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.7 steals and 0.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Two-time All-Defensive First Team, Four-time All-Defensive Second Team
You have to be a pretty good defender to become a Defensive Player of the Year. Alvin Robertson is actually the only player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double with steals as one of the four categories.
5. Joe Dumars
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Years Played: 1985-1999
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Detroit Pistons
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.9 steals and 0.1 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
Joe Dumars was one of the best all-around shooting guards during basketball's golden age at the position. He was a very crucial part of Chuck Daly's "Jordan Rules," which were effective enough that the Bad Boys enjoyed some success against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the early stages of No. 23's career.
4. John Havlicek
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Years Played: 1962-1978
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Five-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
Hondo played out the majority of his career before steals and blocks were recorded, but he still managed to put up impressive numbers in the categories after his career was in decline. He is one of the more underrated defenders of all time thanks to the temporal distance we now have between the present and when Havlicek played.
3. Michael Cooper
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Years Played: 1978-1990
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.2 steals and 0.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Five-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
Larry Bird once referred to Michael Cooper as the best defender he ever faced.
2. Sidney Moncrief
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Years Played: 1979-1991
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.2 steals and 0.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Four-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
His great perimeter defense may not have translated into countable stats, but no one wanted to be guarded by Sidney Moncrief during the 1980s. And when I say no one, I really do mean no one.
1. Michael Jordan
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Years Played: 1984-2003
Position: Shooting guard
Team: Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.3 steals and 0.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Nine-time All-Defensive First Team
Michael Jordan was the best at everything. You shouldn't even question his placement here.
Small Forwards
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Versatility is the name of the game for these players on the defensive end of the court.
Only seven small forwards showed up in my top 60 defensive players of all time.
Read on for who they are.
7. Josh Smith
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Years Played: 2004-present
Position: Small forward
Team: Atlanta Hawks
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.3 steals and 2.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive Second Team
Josh Smith hasn't received too much recognition yet for his defense in the accolades section, but he was the youngest player ever to reach the 500 and 1,000-block milestones.
6. Grant Hill
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Years Played: 1994-present
Position: Small forward
Team: Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.3 steals and 0.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: None
At one point, Grant Hill was expected to be the best player in the NBA and potentially the next Michael Jordan. But then the injury imp had its way and Hill became a very good, but not ridiculously good player. His defensive prowess was omnipresent throughout his career though.
5. Larry Bird
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Years Played: 1979-1992
Position: Small forward
Team: Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
Larry Bird may not look athletic, but his unmatched hustle and love for the game more than made up for that. Bird was always there to guard anyone on the court and wasn't afraid to put his body on the line and draw a charge at any time.
4. LeBron James
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Years Played: 2003-present
Position: Small forward
Team:Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.7 steals and 0.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive First Team
An absolute athletic freak, LeBron James can capably guard any position on the court. He's as fast as the quickest point guard and physical enough to hang with even the lower-tier centers. No other player can really say that in today's game.
3. Bruce Bowen
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Years Played: 1996-2009
Position: Small forward
Team: Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.8 steals and 0.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Five-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
An absolute defensive specialist, Bruce Bowen can hang with any offensive player he feels like guarding. His tenacious on-the-ball defense has caused nightmares for many superstars.
2. Metta World Peace
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Years Played: 1999-present
Position: Small forward
Team: Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.9 steals and 0.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Two-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
Whatever his name may be (Metta World Peace or Ron Artest), this guy is a terrific defender when he stays on the court and isn't suspended for running into the stands. No one in the modern game has been better at shutting down an opposing forward.
1. Scottie Pippen
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Years Played: 1987-2004
Position: Small forward
Team: Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers
Career Per-Game Stats: 2.0 steals and 0.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Eight-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
Michael Jordan and the rest of the Chicago Bulls definitely wouldn't have even had a single three-peat if it wasn't for Scottie Pippen's defense. He's one of the most versatile defenders and underrated players in the history of The Association thanks to the fact that he played in the shadow of the greatest player ever.
Power Forwards
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Power forwards have to guard the rim a lot of the time and they're one of the last lines of defense on the basketball court.
Eight power forwards showed up in my top 60 defensive players of all time.
Read on for who they are.
8. Rasheed Wallace
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Years Played: 1995-2010
Position: Power forward
Team: Washington Bullets, Portland Trail Blazers, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.0 steals and 1.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: None
If technical fouls counted towards defensive prowess, Rasheed Wallace would be unmatched on this list. But they're not, so his great score-stopping abilities will leave him last among the power forwards who wound up in my top 60.
7. Karl Malone
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Years Played: 1985-2004
Position: Power forward
Team:Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
It would've been hard for Karl Malone to be a poor defender thanks to the incredibly physical body he was blessed with. The Mailman delivered seven days a week on both ends of the court until the playoffs rolled around.
6. Kevin McHale
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Years Played: 1980-1993
Position: Power forward
Team: Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.4 steals and 1.7 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
It only makes sense that the player with the most post moves in NBA history knew how to defend the moves that other players used. Such was the case for Kevin McHale of the Boston Celtics.
5. Dave DeBusschere
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Years Played: 1962-1974
Position: Power forward
Team: Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Six-time All-Defensive First Team
A tremendously underrated defender, Dave DeBusschere made the All-Defensive First Team in each of the first six seasons it existed. He would have made more had it been around prior to 1969. He was that good.
4. Bobby Jones
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Years Played: 1974-1986
Position: Power forward
Team: Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time ABA All-Defensive First Team,Eight-time NBA All-Defensive First Team, One-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team
While he wasn't as famous or successful as the golfer who shared his name, Bobby Jones was the best defensive power forward of the 1970s and early 1980s. In fact, it really wasn't even close. Both in the NBA and ABA, Jones dominated everyone he faced.
3. Kevin Garnett
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Years Played: 1995-present
Position: Power forward
Team:Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Nine-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
Kevin Garnett's ridiculous combination of defensive skill, physical abilities and unmatched intensity have left him as not only one of the best all-time power forwards, but also the third-best defensive player at his position in the history of the league.
2. Dennis Rodman
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Years Played: 1986-2000
Position: Power forward
Team: Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Seven-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
The Worm was known for three things: his flamboyant personality and hairstyles, his unmatched pound-for-pound rebounding ability and his incredible play on the defensive end of the court.
1. Tim Duncan
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Years Played: 1997-present
Position: Power forward
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.7 steals and 2.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Eight-time All-Defensive First Team, Five-time All-Defensive Second Team
Is there anything that Mr. Fundamental can't do? As good as Tim Duncan is on defense (obviously since he's made 13 All-Defensive teams), he's still underrated. Duncan has never led the league in blocked shots, but he generally manages to get the most value out of his blocks as they are often tipped to teammates to set up fast break opportunities.
Centers
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In the history of the NBA, there have been far more great defenders at the center position than anywhere else.
In fact, a whopping 22 centers showed up in my top 60 defensive players of all time.
Read on for who they are.
22. Yao Ming
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Years Played: 2002-present
Position: Center
Team: Houston Rockets
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.4 steals and 1.9 blocks
Defensive Accolades: None
Yao Ming is 7'6". And unlike Manute Bol, Gheorge Muresan, Shawn Bradley and the other giants of NBA history, he was actually coordinated enough to be a consistent contributor for a long time.
21. Wes Unseld
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Years Played: 1968-1981
Position: Center
Team: Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.1 steals and 0.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: None
After winning the MVP in his rookie season with a worst-to-first campaign for the Baltimore Bullets, Wes Unseld continued playing great defense throughout the rest of his NBA career. Does he really look like the kind of guy you want to run into in the paint?
20. Robert Parish
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Years Played: 1976-1997
Position: Center
Team: Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.8 steals and 1.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: None
The Chief (as he was called for his stoic personality, reminiscent of Chief from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) was a very versatile and speedy center, two traits that helped him leave his mark on both ends of the court.
19. Moses Malone
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Years Played: 1974-1995
Position: Center
Team: Utah Stars, Spirits of St. Louis, Buffalo Braves, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Bullets, Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.8 steals and 1.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
Most of his defensive reputation comes from the work he did cleaning up after missed shots. He was never a terrific shot-blocker or point-preventer, but Moses Malone still made his mark on that end of the court.
18. Bill Walton
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Years Played: 1974-1987
Position: Center
Team: Portland Trail Blazers, San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.8 steals and 2.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive First Team
His prime was pretty short lived because of the numerous injuries the hindered the Big Red-head's career, but it was also quite impressive. Walton could do it all on the basketball court and even turned defense into offense quite easily thanks to his great outlet passing. If he stayed healthy, he'd be one of the true all-time greats.
17. Dave Cowens
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Years Played: 1970-1983
Position: Center
Team: Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.1 steals and 0.9 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
His intensity made him an early, less-skilled version of Kevin Garnett. Dave Cowens played like a bull at some points during a game but he was not easy to get around at any point.
16. Shaquille O'Neal
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Years Played: 1992-2011
Position: Center
Team: Orland Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.6 steals and 2.3 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive Second Teams
Thanks to his huge body, Shaquille O'Neal simply could not be pushed around in the low post. No one really wanted to venture into the paint so long as The Big Aristotle was around.
15. Patrick Ewing
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Years Played: 1985-2002
Position: Center
Team: New York Knicks, Seattle Super Sonics, Orlando Magic
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.0 steals and 2.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
A terrific interior defender, Patrick Ewing was great at both blocking shots and grabbing defensive boards. He was never a good enough player to win a championship by himself, but his defensive contributions were invaluable to the New York Knicks' cause.
14. Elvin Hayes
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Years Played: 1968-1984
Position: Center
Team: San Diego/Houston Rockets, Baltimore/Capitol/Washington Bullets
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.0 steals and 2.0 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
Only three players in NBA history have pulled down more rebounds than Elvin Hayes. On top of that, he averaged 1.0 steals and 2.0 blocks from the center position. Can you imagine just how stellar those numbers would have been if the NBA had kept track of them during the first five seasons of Hayes' career?
13. Artis Gilmore
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Years Played: 1971-1988
Position: Center
Team: Kentucky Colonels, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.6 steals and 2.4 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time ABA All-Defensive First Team, One-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team
If you include Artis Gilmore's ABA days along with his NBA days, only three players blocked more shots in the history of the sport and no one hauled in more boards on the defensive end. But unfortunately for Gilmore, they didn't count.
12. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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Years Played: 1969-1989
Position: Center
Team: Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.9 steals and 2.6 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Five-time All-Defensive First Team, Six-time All-Defensive Second Team
It's unbelievable that we're only at No. 12 in the center rankings and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's name is already coming up. He made 11 All-Defensive teams thanks to his incredible blocking prowess.
11. Alonzo Mourning
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Years Played: 1992-2008
Position: Center
Team: Charlotte Hornets, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.5 steals and 2.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Two-time All-Defensive First Team
Even more incredible than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar coming in at No. 12 is the fact that a two-time Defensive Player of the Year failed to make the top 10. His 2.8 blocks per game rank sixth all time and he failed to have more than two per game in only one season, which happened to be his final one with the New Jersey Nets.
10. Marcus Camby
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Years Played:1996-present
Position:Center
Team: Toronto Raptors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Portland Trail Blazers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.0 steals and 2.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Two-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
He's no longer a star in the NBA, but Marcus Camby remains a terrific defender and shot blocker. In his prime, Camby was a force to be reckoned with in the paint.
9. Mark Eaton
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Years Played: 1982-1993
Position: Center
Team: Utah Jazz
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.4 steals and 3.5 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Three-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive First Team
A two-time Defensive Player of the Year, the 7'4" Mark Eaton has two incredible records in NBA history. Not only do his 5.6 blocks per game in the 1984-1985 season place him first on the all-time seasonal leaderboard, but his career average of 3.5 blocks per game is tops all time.
8. Dwight Howard
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Years Played: 2004-present
Position: Center
Team:Orlando Magic
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.0 steals and 2.2 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Three-time Defensive Player of the Year, Three-time All-Defensive First Team, Two-time All-Defensive Second Team
The best defender in the league may continue to move up these ranks as time progresses. After all, he's already won the past three Defensive Player of the Year awards. Now he just needs to learn how to direct blocked shots to teammates and not to fans.
7. Wilt Chamberlain
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Years Played: 1959-1973
Position: Center
Team: Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers
Career Per-Game Stats: Unknown steals and blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive First Team
It would be interesting to see just how many blocks Wilt Chamberlain could have racked up if they had been tracked back then. He probably would have recorded even more than he already did because it would have been one more record for him to chase. Wilt the Stilt was't as good on defense as he was on offense, but he was still a damn good defender back in his day.
6. Dikembe Mutombo
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Years Played: 1991-2009
Position: Center
Team: Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.4 steals and 2.8 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Three-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
If you played during the 1990s and 2000s, you did not want to be at the base of Mt. Mutombo watching as the behemoth wagged his finger at you after sending the basketball back to where it came from. Unfortunately for the players that did play during those two decades, that was a pretty common scene.
5. Nate Thurmond
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Years Played: 1963-1977
Position: Center
Team:San Francisco/Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers
Career Per-Game Stats: 0.5 steals and 2.1 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time All-Defensive First Team, Three-time All-Defensive Second Team
Nate the Great not only has one of the coolest looks in basketball history with the bald head and the full beard, but he also possessed one of the most impressive skill-sets on the defensive end of the court. Thurmond's defensive rebounding and shot-blocking abilities were both incredible.
4. Ben Wallace
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Years Played: 1996-present
Position: Center
Team: Washington Bullets, Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic,Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.3 steals and 2.0 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Four-time Defensive Player of the Year, Five-time All-Defensive First Team, One-time All-Defensive Second Team
He won four Defensive Player of the Year awards. Enough said.
3. David Robinson
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Years Played: 1989-2003
Position: Center
Team: San Antonio Spurs
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.4 steals and 3.0 blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time Defensive Player of the Year, Four-time All-Defensive First Team, Four-time All-Defensive Second Team
The Admiral doesn't get enough credit as he deserves nowadays thanks to the quick takeover that Tim Duncan completed in the early 2000s. David Robinson actually managed to average not only 3.2 blocks or more, but also at least 1.4 steals per game in each of his first seven seasons in the NBA.
2. Hakeem Olajuwon
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Years Played: 1984-2002
Position: Center
Team: Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors
Career Per-Game Stats: 1.7 steals and 3.1 blocks
Defensive Accolades: Two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Five-time All-Defensive First Team, Four-time All-Defensive Second Team
Hakeem the Dream averaged over four blocks per game during three separate seasons and never averaged less than two per game during any of his 15 seasons in the NBA. On top of that, he was a terrific thief from the center position and thoroughly dominated most players he faced not named Kevin Johnson.
1. Bill Russell
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Years Played: 1956-1969
Position: Center
Team: Boston Celtics
Career Per-Game Stats: Unknown steals and blocks
Defensive Accolades: One-time All-Defensive First Team
Can you imagine the defensive reputation that Bill Russell would have now if the NBA had awarded Defensive Player of the Year awards and All-Defensive team selections during the majority of Russell's career? On top of that, could he really have averaged as many as six blocks per game? Could it have been even more?
Bill Russell is not only the best defensive center of all time; he is also the greatest defensive player of all time.
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Adam Fromal is a syndicated writer and Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow him onTwitter.
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FAQs
Who is the greatest defensive player of all time NBA? ›
- #8 – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. ...
- #7 – Dikembe Mutombo. ...
- #6 – David Robinson. ...
- #5 – Scottie Pippen. ...
- #4 – Bill Russell. ...
- #3 – Dennis Rodman. ...
- #2 – Michael Jordan. ...
- #1 – Hakeem Olajuwon.
Larry Bird once referred to Michael Cooper as the best defender he ever faced.
Who is statistically the best NBA defender? ›Giannis Antetokounmpo had the best defensive rating this season, with a 107.7 rating.
Who is the best defender in history? ›- #8 Philipp Lahm. ...
- #7 Sergio Ramos. ...
- #6 Giacinto Facchetti. ...
- #5 Daniel Passarella. ...
- #4 Bobby Moore. ...
- #3 Franco Baresi. ...
- #2 Franz Beckenbauer. Franz Beckenbauer was simply the most dominant defender of the 1970s. ...
- #1 Paolo Maldini. AC Milan Training & Press Conference.
Giants legend Lawrence Taylor is regarded as one of the greatest, if not the undisputed best, defensive players in NFL history. While that's a sentiment the three-time Defensive Player of the Year shares, he also has profound respect and admiration for some of the game's other great defenders.
Who does LeBron say is the best defender? ›When comparing the career totals of Bird and Kobe, it's a one-round knockout in favor of the Laker legend. With four more NBA season under his belt, it's no surprise that Bryant has surpassed Bird's career totals in minutes, points, assists, steals and turnovers.
Who has the worst defensive rating in the NBA? ›Who Has The Worst Defense In The NBA 2021? The Sacramento Kings are the worst defense in the league. They are allowing 123.6 points per game this season and allowing teams to shoot over 50% from the field. Teams are also having a field day from three and in the West that is a problem.
Who is the greatest rebounder in NBA history? ›There's no question that Dennis Rodman is one of the best defenders in NBA history. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award twice, and it's fair to say that Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls wouldn't have solidified their golden dynasty without him.
Who is the No 1 defender in the world? ›
Van Dijk has been one of the bests already for so long. The defender is known for his defending as well as goalscoring abilities. The 31-year-old plays for Liverpool on club level and represents Netherlands on international level. Van Dijk was named in FIFA FIFPRO Men's World 11 during the Best FIFA Awards 2022.
Who was the best defender in the 90s? ›| Rnk | Athlete | Overall Decade Rnk |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paolo Maldini | 21 |
| 2 | Andreas Brehme | 25 |
| 3 | Franco Baresi | 36 |
| 4 | Roberto Carlos | 38 |
1. Pele. There's no doubt that Pele is one of the best strikers ever to play football. He was a prolific goal-scorer, scoring a total of 757 official goals in his career.
Has a defensive player ever won MVP? ›Two defensive players have won the award: Alan Page in 1971 as a defensive tackle, and Lawrence Taylor as a linebacker in 1986. The sole special teams player to be named AP NFL MVP was Mark Moseley, who won as a placekicker in 1982.
Is Bill Russell the best defensive player ever? ›He dominated the opposition from 1956-1969, but Russell could have easily fit into any era. His unique combination of physical tools and basketball IQ made him the most intimidating defensive force in NBA history.
Is JJ Watt the greatest defensive player of all time? ›Watt will forever be recognized as one of the best defensive players to ever step foot on a football field, and his 12-year career ended right here in the Valley. Watt's last two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals were full of great moments led by his leadership, mentorship and involvement with the community.
Who was the guy who was better than Michael Jordan? ›It's worth noting that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar may actually be one of the most legendary NBA players well ahead of Jordan as he outpaces him by nearly 6,000 total career points.
Who is better LeBron or Jordan? ›So, Who is the Greatest of All Time (GOAT)?
Both were exceptional: Jordan won six championships, five MVPs, and ten scoring titles. Meanwhile, LeBron captured four championships, four MVPs, and four Finals MVPs with three teams, while also becoming all-time leading scorer in 2023.
Larry Bird Once Chose Dennis Johnson as his best teammate
Larry Legend was as good a trash-talker as the great he was with the basketball.
Of all those years, and all those players, he gives credit to one man as the "best defender" he's ever faced: Tony Allen.
Who was LeBron's toughest defender? ›
LeBron James: “Anthony Davis is the best defender in the league”
Who was the toughest defender on Michael Jordan? ›Michael Jordan considers Joe Dumars the best player who ever guarded him out of all the players he faced during his legendary career.
Who was better Dirk or Larry Bird? ›Larry Bird has 3 Championship, 2 Finals MVP, 3 Regular Season MVP, 1 Rookie of the Year, 1 Hall of Fame, while Dirk Nowitzki has 1 Championship, 1 Finals MVP, 1 Regular Season MVP.
Who won more Magic or Bird? ›The Larry Bird vs Magic Johnson rivalry started before the NBA as Magic's Michigan State Spartans defeated Bird's Indiana State Sycamores in the 1979 NCAA Championship game. Bird and Magic met in the NBA finals a further three times with Magic taking 2 of the three matchups. Overall, Magic won 5 rings while Bird won 3.
Who is better Shaq or Hakeem? ›Looking at their numbers, overall, Shaq got the better of Hakeem. While statistics don't always tell the whole story, Shaq demonstrated his ability do match Hakeem in nearly every department. In 20 regular season matchups, Shaq has gotten the better of Hakeem, leading his teams to 14 wins and six losses.
Which NBA team has best defense? ›| Rank | Team | 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland | 1.070 |
| 2 | Memphis | 1.075 |
| 3 | Boston | 1.086 |
| 4 | Milwaukee | 1.090 |
As an example, the top defenses in EPA per play from 2021 were Buffalo, New Orleans, Dallas, New England, and Tampa Bay. Those defenses ranked seventh, 10th, second, third, and 11th in 2022. Last year's top defense, San Francisco, ranked 14th in 2021. The Eagles ranked fourth in 2022 and 17th in 2021.
What is Shaq defensive rating? ›Shaquille O'Neal had a defensive rating of 101.3 in his career.
Who scored 70 points in an NBA game? ›Damian Lillard set an NBA record in his monster scoring night on Sunday, racking up 71 points in 39 minutes, including 13 three-pointers, as the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Houston Rockets 121-114.
Who has the most triple doubles in NBA history? ›Who is the goat of rebound in the NBA? ›
It's a NO for Bill
Wilt still holds the record with a whopping 23,924 rebounds.
Wallace was a better rim protector, more than tripling Rodman's STOCKS average, but most of Rodman's defensive work was done well before his man ever got the ball, as he was arguably more relentless on that end than anyone we've ever seen.
Who is better Ben Wallace or Dennis Rodman? ›Ben Wallace was a fearsome rebounder, averaging 9.6 boards per game, over his career. Dennis Rodman was an extraordinary rebounder, averaging 13.1 boards per game for his career. Rodman was devoted to defense and was the superior rebounder.
Is Draymond Green the best defender? ›Kerr hailed Green as the best defender he has ever seen. This is a man that has played alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, David Robinson, and more. Green's status among the greatest defenders is often questioned.
Who was the best defender against Michael Jordan? ›Michael Jordan describes why Joe Dumars is the greatest defender he had to go up against in his career. Michael Jordan considers Joe Dumars the best player who ever guarded him out of all the players he faced during his legendary career.
Who is a better defender MJ or Pippen? ›Jordan was a nine-time All-Defensive team selection, while Pippen was a 10-time selection. Pippen never won a Defensive Player of the Year award like Jordan did in 1987-88. Jordan also led the league in steals three times, while Pippen only did so once.
Is Hakeem Olajuwon the best defender? ›He is the NBA's all-time leader in blocks (3,830) while ranking ninth in steals (2,162) and 14th in rebounding (13,748). Steals and blocks became official NBA statistics in 1973-74. Olajuwon is the only player in NBA history who is ranked top-10 in both categories.
Who is a better defender Marcus Smart or Draymond Green? ›Final verdict: Smart or Green? It's hard not to pick Smart, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. But based on the good old eye test, Green remains the best defensive player in the NBA, albeit by a slim margin.
Who is the best at defending LeBron? ›#1 Kawhi Leonard
When Leonard was his primary defender, he shot only 34% from the field. Kawhi was named the 2014 NBA Finals MVP for his overall performance defensively. He was named the NBA Finals MVP mainly because of his defense on LeBron.