NBA Awards Rankings: New No. 1 in Defensive Player of the Year race

1. Rudy Gobert

A familiar foe has risen to the top of the Defensive Player of the Year rankings as three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, Rudy Gobert, has been the best defensive player so far this season. 

In Gobert’s first eight games of the season, he is 12th in the NBA in blocks per game at 1.9 and averaging 0.9 steals per game. He also has a league-leading 13.1 rebounds per game. What Gobert has done so far is nothing that we haven’t seen from him before. 

Even though his blocks have been from years past, his advanced stats have been the best in the NBA. He is currently leading the NBA in defensive rating with 96.6 and he is also first in the NBA with defensive win shares with 0.8. In defensive box plus-minus he is tied for 18th with a plus 1.8. Above all the Minnesota Timberwolves have the best defensive rating in basketball and have a 6-3 record. 

Gobert has been amazing defensively to start the season. If he keeps pace with what he’s doing, there is a possibility of him having his best defensive year ever. Also what’s really impressive is that his defensive numbers are this good in an offense-driven league where the past few years' defensive stats have been skewed because of how great the offense is now. 

He leads the league in multiple defense stats, his team is good, and he also anchors the best defense in the NBA. Every single indicator has pointed at Rudy Gobert for being the best defensive player in basketball and why he ranks number 1 in this ranking.