NBA Awards Rankings: Rudy Gobert still No. 1 in Defensive Player of the Year race
Guard | Thunder. . player. . 149. Shai Gilegous-Alexander. 3. Shai Gilegous-Alexander. Shai Gilegous-Alexander.
It is extremely rare for a guard to win the Defensive Player of the Year — only two have done it since 1996 and only six overall. Something rarer is winning the DPOY and the MVP in the same season which has only been done three times. As of right now, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is making the case that he deserves to be both.
Shai, like his teammate Chet Holmgren, is being recognized for his incredible offensive output. Yes, Shai has been one of the best offensive players this season but his defense has been equally as good.
At the moment Shai currently leads the league in total steals at 44, which is eight more than the players in second, and steals per game at 2.4. He's also averaging 0.9 blocks per game and his combined 3.3 steals plus blocks per game ranks fourth in the NBA.
The reason Shai is so great defensively is because he is 6-foot-6 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan. His incredibly long wingspan makes it really easy to get steals to reach around ball handlers and block players out on the perimeter. Being a big point guard gives him a size advantage when he has to guard other point guards and allows him to switch on to other wings.
Shai is having a fantastic season this year and he deserves praise for being the best two-way guard in basketball.