Items17The creator’s order
  1. 1Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1951)Bobby Jones (basketball, born 1951)Born 18 Dec 1951Bobby Jones made the NBA's All-Defensive first team eight straight seasons from 1977 as a lean forward with Denver and Philadelphia, quick enough to stay with wings and long enough to bother post players. He was the sixth man on the 1983 champion 76ers. In an era of fixed matchups, he was the rare…0i
  2. 2Michael CooperMichael CooperBorn 15 Apr 1956Showtime's stopper, Cooper was the 1987 Defensive Player of the Year off the bench and drew Larry Bird in the great Lakers-Celtics Finals, despite giving up size. Bird named him the toughest defender he faced. Cooper also guarded point guards, which shows the range: long arms, low stance and a…0i
  3. 3Scottie PippenScottie PippenPippen made eight All-Defensive first teams and was the Bulls' answer to almost every problem: Magic Johnson in the 1991 Finals, point guards who needed pressure, forwards who needed length. At about 6ft 8in with huge arms, he could pick up full court and still help at the rim. He is the clearest…0i
  4. 4Dennis RodmanDennis RodmanBorn 13 May 1961Before he became the league's best rebounder, Rodman won two Defensive Player of the Year awards in Detroit, defending Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan in spells and bruising power forwards. At 6ft 7in he gave up real height to centres such as Shaquille O'Neal, and that was his limit. His…0i
  5. 5Gary PaytonGary PaytonBorn 23 Jul 1968The Glove is still the only point guard to win Defensive Player of the Year, in 1996, and made nine All-Defensive first teams. He was strong enough to post up and defend bigger guards, and Seattle sometimes put him on Michael Jordan in the 1996 Finals, slowing him in the later games. Payton's range…0i
  6. 6Kevin GarnettKevin GarnettBorn 19 May 1976Garnett was a 7-footer who could switch onto guards on the perimeter and recover to protect the rim, which is why Boston's 2008 title defence was built around him; he was Defensive Player of the Year that season. He talked constantly, directing rotations. His mobility at his size foreshadowed the…0i
  7. 7Metta Sandiford-ArtestMetta Sandiford-ArtestBorn 13 Nov 1979As Ron Artest he won the 2004 Defensive Player of the Year award in Indiana, and later guarded Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant in big moments, then Paul Pierce for the Lakers in the 2010 Finals. His strength and hands let him handle wings and power forwards. His career also carried…0i
  8. 8Tamika CatchingsTamika CatchingsBorn 21 Jul 1979Catchings won the WNBA's Defensive Player of the Year five times and retired as the league's career steals leader. A forward with guard quickness, she defended stars at several positions for Indiana and won the 2012 title as Finals MVP. Her hands in passing lanes were the signature, and her…0i
  9. 9Andre IguodalaAndre IguodalaBorn 28 Jan 1984Iguodala won the 2015 Finals MVP largely for his defence on LeBron James, coming off the bench and into the starting line-up mid-series. Over his Golden State years he guarded point guards, wings and stretch forwards, a key part of the switching that let the Warriors play small. His reads and…0i
  10. 10Kawhi LeonardKawhi LeonardBorn 29 Jun 1991Leonard won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in San Antonio, and as a 22-year-old helped slow LeBron James in the 2014 Finals, winning Finals MVP. His enormous hands strip dribblers and his strength handles forwards. Toronto fans saw the full package in 2019, when he guarded Giannis…0i