5 Best Defensive Players in the Upcoming NBA 2016-17 Season: Kawhi Leonard and Hassan Whiteside Top the List
They say defense wins championships, and players that spend their off-season preparing for the dirty work are going to become crucial pieces in their team's roster in the upcoming NBA 2016-17 season.
As the season draws near, let's anticipate the 5 best players who are most likely going to win the coveted defensive player of the year award.
1. Kawhi Leonard
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Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs won last season's Kia Defensive Player of the Year award. It is his second consecutive DPOY win, and there's no reason why he won't follow Dwight Howard's lead and win another one for the third straight season.
Nicknamed "The Claw," Leonard has such a long reach and such big hands that he can guard all positions on the floor, anticipating passés for steals, and at just 25 years old, possesses compact defensive fundamentals.
A BBALLBREAKDOWN video explains why Leonard is such a great defender. For one, he can switch to any player, make deflection attempts and still hustle back on defense and contest with his long arms.
Leonard averaged 21.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.0 block per game last season.
2. Hassan Whiteside
Whiteside was the league leader in blocks last season, averaging 3.7 blocks per game, along with his 11.8 rebounds per game. That's well ahead of the second on the blocks per game list; 2.3 by DeAndre Jordan. Despite his blocking prowess, the 27-year old Miami Heat center only placed third in last year's DPOY rankings.
Whiteside said, "I'm used to not getting credited for anything. I'm used to getting overlooked." Whiteside definitely plays with a chip on his shoulder, and next season, expect him to be more driven to prove his doubters wrong.
3. Draymond Green
While Green had some dirty plays, including kicking people in the crotch area, headbutting, or throwing punches, he is a great defender when he isn't wild. He can switch constantly, and with the addition of Kevin Durant in the Golden State Warriors roster, Green will have more opportunities to focus on the defensive end of the floor.
Green placed second in Defensive Player of the Year rankings last season, being the keystone to the formidable Golden State Warriors defense.
4. Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert only finished 7th in DPOY voting last season, but some panelists placed him at a low ranking only because he missed around one fourth of the 2015-16 season due to injuries.
Gobert is a more complete big man defensive player than Hassan Whiteside. He isn't just a great shot blocker, he can even keep up with driving guards before swatting off their shots near the paint. When Gobert was healthy, he helped the Jazz become a top 10 team in defensive efficiency.
Gobert averaged 9.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game last season.
5. Klay Thompson
Klay Thompson is more than just a splash brother; a microwave who can hit consecutive threes like uncontested layups. Thompson plays a crucial role in the Warriors defense by being assigned to the best offensive guard in the opposing team. This allows Stephen Curry to wreak havoc offensively.
Thompson's duties on both ends of the floor (offense and defense) make him one of the most important players in their team.
Last season, Thompson averaged 22.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks per game.
