NBA Awards Rankings: Rudy Gobert re-stakes claim on Defensive Player of the Year race

The Minnesota Timberwolves are home to the best defense in the NBA. It's a collective effort — Jaden McDaniels is on the shortlist of best wing defenders in the NBA, Anthony Edwards loves to blow up plays with his athleticism, Mike Conley is a clever team defender, and Karl-Anthony Towns' size is a unique boost in the 4-spot.

Of course, it's Rudy Gobert who anchors it all. He is the only active three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner in the NBA, and he's well on his way to winning a fourth. It's too early to engrave the statue, but when Gobert operates at his peak, there are few NBA defenders in the same ballpark. And, after a rocky first season with the Wolves, Gobert is operating at his peak.

Listed at 7-foot-1 with a comical 7-foot-9 wingspan, Gobert completely changes the geometry of the opposing offense. He has mastered the art of rim protection. He averages 2.3 blocks per game, but it goes beyond that. Countless potential shot attempts are deterred by Gobert's looming presence. He gets knocked for his inflexibility in certain matchups, but Gobert generally navigates space effectively and makes up for limited lateral quickness with sheer length and expert timing. He's also one of the best defensive rebounders in the NBA, an added bonus.

Gobert boasts a 1.7 defensive box plus-minus and a league-best 0.9 defensive win shares, the cherry on top of a strong early case. So long as the Wolves continue to stifle opposing offenses, it will be hard to deny Gobert consideration for his fourth award in this category — no matter how strongly folks want to punish his spotty postseason record. It's a regular season award, and there isn't a single defender who guarantees a higher regular season floor than Gobert in a good year.