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The battle is on for who will win the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. I don’t know why, but this is a more heated conversation than even the NBA MVP each season.
Perhaps certain players simply take more pride in being honored for their defense? Maybe it’s just specific individuals that are often in contention to win. Whatever the case, it’s a pretty big deal, and what’s even better is that you can bet on who will win.
If you think you know who will win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, then this breakdown will be a refresher course. If you don’t, perhaps a look at the latest NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds – and my pick – will help you place your bet.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds for 2024-25
You can find the following NBA odds at most online sports betting sites.
| NBA DPOY Odds | NBA DPOY Odds |
|---|---|
| Victor Wembanyama -275 | Rudy Gobert +800 |
| Chet Holmgren +1200 | Giannis Antetokounmpo +1400 |
| Anthony Davis +1400 | Bam Adebayo +1400 |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. +1800 | Evan Mobley +1800 |
| Joel Embiid +2200 | OG Anunoby +2200 |
| Jrue Holiday +2500 | Derrick White +3300 |
| Brook Lopez +3500 | Jarrett Allen +4000 |
| Alex Caruso +4000 | Jaden McDaniels +5000 |
| Draymond Green +6600 | Donovan Clingan +6600 |
Wemby leads the charge with -275 odds to win the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. That feels steep for a second-year player, but the dude averaged 10.6 rebounds and 3.6 blocks in just 29.7 minutes per game.
If the San Antonio Spurs elect to take the training wheels off, this guy could coast to the DPOY award.
Of course, it’s rarely that simple, is it?
That’s why we should absolutely pay attention to incredible value across the board here. I could stop the conversation at Rudy Gobert, who is the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner, but then there are other former winners (Giannis, JJJ, etc), as well as shot block artists and rebound kings to consider.
Wemby is a pretty good bet if you’re looking for rock solid NBA picks to make before the regular season tips off, but he’s far from the only viable options. Let’s break down why Wembanyama does make sense as the favorite, but also look at his biggest threats for this award.
Why is Victor Wembanyama Favored to Win the 2024-25 NBA DPOY?
This just might just be the Year of Wemby. The #1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, Wemby took the league by storm last season, putting up a nightly double-double and dialing up a block party seemingly at will.
San Antonio’s reluctance to allow him to play more than 30 minutes consistently curbed his statistical upside, while the Spurs’ tendency to lose most of their games also didn’t help matters.
But seriously, just look at his per 36 minute stats:
- 26 points per game
- 12.9 rebounds per game
- 4.3 blocks per game
- 1.5 steals per game
A seven minute spike in minutes might not be a lock, but there’s no doubt Wemby can and should play a lot more than what we saw out of him in year one. With more floor time comes more stats, and he’s shown he can do a ton while he’s out there.
Wemby’s spike in production is expected to be significant, which is a huge reason he’s even in the running for NBA Most Improved Player this season. Heck, provided his numbers somehow lead to more Spurs wins, I’m not even totally sure you can rule him out of the league MVP debate.
First thing’s first, though. Wemby is a shot-blocking nightmare for opponents, and he cleans the glass with the best of them. He’s even getting steals at a solid rate.
If last year’s per 36 minute stats hold firm – or he somehow gets even better – he is a very good bet to take home this award.
Top 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Contenders
Wemby’s DPOY odds are a good reason to look elsewhere. Here are my favorite contenders to win this award.
Rudy Gobert +800
I don’t know how you can project possible NBA Defensive Player of the Year contenders without including Rudy Gobert. He literally claimed this award just last season, and it also marked the fourth time he’s won the hardware.
Obviously winning previously (let alone four times) doesn’t guarantee future wins, but it does show you how dominant he is on defense. It’s fair to say that doesn’t really hold firm come playoff time every year, but hey, in those first 82 games, the dude is stuffing defensive stats as well as anyone.
That was certainly the case last year, when Gobert snatched 12.9 rebounds per game (2nd most) and also swatted 2.1 blocks per game. Neither number had him in the league lead, but he had the best combination of those stats in The Association.
Another deciding factor had to have been his impact on his team’s defense, as the Minnesota Timberwolves finished first in defensive efficiency.
Domantas Sabonis has everyone beat on the glass. Wemby is coasting to the lead in blocks. But Gobert is going to be inside the top-3 in both categories, and it’s fair to assume the T’Wolves will remain one of the nastiest overall defenses in all of basketball.
If that is all true again, Gobert is in the DPOY conversation and at +800, his price is absurd.
Giannis Antetokounmpo +1400
I think there are a few former NBA Defensive Player of the Year winners that deserve serious thought when looking to bet on this award. One of them is without a doubt The Greek Freak, who has remained as dominant as ever, only to be betrayed by his body.
Assuming Giannis is at full strength during the regular season, he is live to upset the odds here and win the DPOY trophy for the second time.
It’s fair to argue that he should have won it more than once by now, as Giannis is never that far behind the league leaders in defensive stats, and his Milwaukee Bucks are routinely among the better defensive teams in the league.
Giannis does exert a lot of energy (28 points per game) on offense, but he still has the time to regularly post 11+ rebounds per game with 1+ blocks and 1+ steals per game.
You won’t find him leading the league in any individual defensive stat, but collectively, one could argue he’s the most important piece to his team’s puzzle, especially when compared to other player’s importance to their respective squads.
More than anything, we know what Giannis can bring to the table in terms of potential. If the Bucks can improve from where they were last year, Giannis has a shot at this award.
The Bucks are favored to win the NBA Central Division, so the bookmakers expect them to be good once again this year, despite some slight regression in 2023-24.
Year two in Doc River’s system could unlock this squad, and that includes Giannis on defense, especially seeing as the Bucks were a tough defensive team in the second half of the year under Doc.
Anthony Davis +1400
An even better bet than The Greek Freak might actually be The Brow. Anthony Davis is getting a bit older, but he is still dominant on offense, and he’s also a huge factor for the Los Angeles Lakers on the defensive end of the floor.
You wouldn’t know it judging by the Lake Show’s team defense (17th in defensive efficiency last year), but Davis did his job on that end of the court.
By season’s end, Davis was only behind Sabonis and Gobert in rebounds per game (12.6), he edged out both in steals per game (1.2) and he ranked 4th in blocks per game (2.3k).
Some argued that The Brow was the true DPOY winner last year. That obviously didn’t come to fruition, but he could give it another go during the 2024-25 season. If his stats are anything like they were last year – and the Lakers can see a positive spike on defense – he could be worth a look at his +1400 Defensive Player of the Year odds.
Are the Los Angeles Lakers a serious threat to win the NBA Finals again? I’m not so sure, but betting on the Lakers is something every die hard NBA fan seems to want to do. If you must, I think a cursory bet on The Brow to win this award is in play.
Best 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Value Bet
I don’t really think there is an extreme value bet worth making, but just for fun, let’s dream big and make a case for Alex Caruso.
History isn’t really on his side, but if you want to argue the other way, you could point to Marcus Smart claiming the DPOY title just three seasons ago. So, while a guard being crowned Defensive Player of the Year doesn’t happen often, it’s not totally impossible.
Caruso is not a great offensive player, but he can knock down threes well enough to keep himself on the floor. He is a solid facilitator, too, but as you’d guess, we’re not here because of his offense – he’s an asset due to his defense.
That’s why the Oklahoma City Thunder traded youngster Josh Giddey for him. They knew their title window was open and acquiring a win-now piece that can improve their floor spading and boost their defense all at once was a no-brainer.
Caruso is the rare guard who impacts the game in literally every facet. I said he can make plays with the ball in his hands and he can shoot, but he also is a game-wrecker defensively thanks to 1.0 blocks per game and, as you’d expect, 1.7 steals per contest as well.
The best part? Caruso is landing with a solid OKC defense, and he has another elite on-ball guy next to him in Lu Dort. There’s also the shot-blocking presence of Chet Holmgren, too. The point? Players won’t be able to disrespect Caruso, because they’ll have other defensive stoppers to worry about, too.
The path to a DPOY award is still loaded with obstacles – and stiff competition – but Caruso is the exact type of guard who could shock the world. He’ll never lead the NBA in assists, but he actually has a shot at an award if he plays his cards right.
2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Predictions
There are some interesting narratives to lean into this year, and there’s no doubt that there are viable NBA Defensive Player of the Year contenders.
I can see Rudy Gobert winning for a fifth time. Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo are in play to a lesser extent, but still very much threats to stage the upset. Heck, even Alex Caruso at least deserves to have his name thrown around a bit.
But the future is now. Victor Wembanyama was a force as a rookie, and it stands to reason that he’ll only get better. You could argue that his improvement won’t be enough to make the Spurs a threat – let alone a playoff team – but the defensive stats will very likely be too eye-popping to ignore.
Wemby’s rates were off the charts for anyone. But he was a first-year player on a bad team and he was being restricted. If he’s let loose, who is to say he can’t lead the league in rebounding, rack up multiple steals per game, and even average close to five blocks per game?
The sky’s the limit with this kid, so putting a ceiling on him feels like a bad idea. Am I floored by his -275 NBA Defensive Player of the Year betting odds? No, but sometimes you just have to pay the price and move along.
Bet: Victor Wembanyama -275Recent NBA Defensive Player of the Year Winners
| Year | NBA DPOY Winner |
|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2022-23 | Jaren Jackson Jr. |
| 2021-22 | Marcus Smart |
| 2020-21 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2019-20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 2018-19 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2017-18 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2016-15 | Draymond Green |
| 2015-16 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2014-15 | Kawhi Leonard |
