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Wembanyama Unanimous First-Team Pick; Gobert Earns Ninth Nod

5/24/2026

Summary

Wembanyama First-Team

United States announced the NBA All-Defensive Team, naming Victor Wembanyama the unanimous First Team member after a 200-point vote.
Rudy Gobert earned his ninth All-Defensive nod, 151 points, joining Wembanyama on First Team with Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson and Derrick White.
OG Anunoby (67 points), Scottie Barnes, Cason Wallace, Dyson Daniels and Bam Adebayo made Second Team, while Portland’s Toumani Camara placed 14th with 28 points after setting offensive-charges record.

Summary

Gobert Near Milestone

The All-Defense first team adds a second-year center with two third-year forwards, forming a youthful group.
NBA analysts asked whether any honoree can sustain this defensive intensity long enough to define an era.
The lineup highlights the league’s rim-protection focus, featuring the block leader and two premier rim protectors.
Rudy Gobert sits one award from becoming the seventh player to reach ten All-Defense selections, joining Michael Jordan, who has nine.

Summary

Thunder Defense Surge

Thunder’s defensive rating rose from 102.3 with Chet Holmgren to 107.9 without him, aiding a 64-18 record.
Opponents shot 40.7 percent when defended by Victor Wembanyama, the lowest rate among players with 500+ defended shots.
Boston ranked fourth in defensive rating thanks to Derrick White’s perimeter work.
Cason Wallace topped the league in steals and deflections, reinforcing the Thunder’s perimeter pressure.

Summary

Gobert Defensive Honors

Bam Adebayo (Heat) was named the 2025-26 Social Justice Champion and will receive Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Trophy.
Stephon Castle (Spurs) and Amen Thompson (Rockets) missed the team after tying with Dyson Daniels at 41 votes because Daniels earned five points from first-team votes.
Rudy Gobert (Timberwolves) logged his eighth First-Team All-Defense selection and fourth Defensive Player of the Year award, while Chet Holmgren (Thunder) received 93 First-Team votes, making him runner-up.

History

Historical Context

Since the NBA introduced the Defensive Player of the Year award in the 1982-83 season, the honor—now presented as the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy—has highlighted both big men and a handful of perimeter defenders. Sidney Moncrief, one of only eight perimeter winners, captured the inaugural prize, a legacy echoed today by All-Defensive selections such as Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert.

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Wembanyama First-Team

United States announced the NBA All-Defensive Team, naming Victor Wembanyama the unanimous First Team member after a 200-point vote.
Rudy Gobert earned his ninth All-Defensive nod, 151 points, joining Wembanyama on First Team with Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson and Derrick White.
OG Anunoby (67 points), Scottie Barnes, Cason Wallace, Dyson Daniels and Bam Adebayo made Second Team, while Portland’s Toumani Camara placed 14th with 28 points after setting offensive-charges record.

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