In a league featuring so much pass-catching talent, what's the pecking order at wide receiver right now? Gil Brandt identifies one free agent each NFC team must keep. 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks. Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been named the 2021-22 KIA NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the league has announced. Get to know the Utah Jazz's star center with these 10 interesting factoids about his life and career. 1985-86 Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Marcus Smart receives the 2021-2022 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award from Gary Payton. 2021 NFL season: Best/worst-case projections for notable defensive rookies 2021 NFL season preview: Ranking all eight divisions MOST VALUABLE PLAYER Rank 1 This has been an award dominated by Aaron Donald as of late, winning three of the last four years. "That's huge. At the end of last season, Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt was considered the most valuable defensive The Next Gen Stats analytics team uses its newly launched Expected Return Yards model to identify the top 10 returners of the 2022 regular season. The Steelers beat the Seahawks 23-20 in OT. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. Here's another quality example: Of the top 10 players in sacks in the NFL, Donald is the only interior defender in the group, with 10 sacks on the year. The Steelers beat the Seahawks 23-20 in OT. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Chris Wormley (95) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Indicators: 5.6 defensive rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 1.2 steals per 75 possessions, 2.4 defensive estimated plus-minus. section: | slug: nba-defensive-player-of-the-year-race-76ers-ben-simmons-jazzs-rudy-gobert-among-top-candidates-for-award | sport: basketball | route: article_single.us | He just hasn't been as available as the others on this list, which might end up hurting his candidacy, even though his numbers have been fantastic. Fair or not, voters for both awards are likely to used games missed as a distinguisher in races that are extremely close otherwise. 2021 draft, has made an immediate high-end impact with 76 total "That's why I love football so much. Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Judon probably won't win the award, but he's at least deserving of some recognition in a space like this. Aaron Donald has 3.5 sacks through four games, putting him slightly behind the pace set by category leaders Myles Garrett and Za'Darius Smith -- but Donald is among the league's most prolific compilers of QB pressures (18, per NGS, second only to Garrett's 23). 2016-17 Draymond Green, Golden State else named in the poll, are having terrific seasons, Watt is probably If you were amazed by Stephen Curry's record-setting performance on Sunday, you weren't the only one. NEW YORK Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been named the 2021-22 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the NBA announced today. "But it's more just wanting to be a game-wrecker week in and week out and trying to perform the best that I can without putting my other teammates in jeopardy.". I just love this game. "I think without any question at all he could have played on those Super Bowl teams we were on.". Void in ONT. 2015-16 Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Defensive Player of the Year Award. Should the Falcons keep Cordarrelle Patterson in town? This will sound like hyperbole. Smart is at a disadvantage for the award as a guard hasnt won DPOY since 1996. I'm just so motivated. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. The Steelers beat the Browns 15-10. NFL Honors: T.J. Watt named 2021 AP Defensive Player of the Year; seventh Steelers player to win award Watt had a historic season for the Steelers, tying Michael Gil Brandt assembles a roster of the best defensive rookies of the 2021 NFL season. David may soon have competition for the honor of best defender in the clubhouse, however, with 2019 league sack leader Shaquil Barrett heating up (three sacks in the past two games). (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. If he had stayed healthy he might be the odds-on favorite for the award, but as it stands he looks like a longshot. WebCheck out stats on every National Basketball Association Defensive Player of the Year winner on ESPN.com. Defensive lineman Mike Morris and center Olusegun Oluwatimi were chosen four picks apart by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round. 1999-00 Alonzo Mourning, Miami Below is the list of winners of the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. I feel like I'm the best defender in the NBA.". (Caitlyn Epes / Pittsburgh Steelers), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) celebrates a sack during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Tennessee Titans, Sunday, Dec. 19, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. Embiid also has excellent foot speed for his size, which makes it less enticing for opposing offenses to try to target him in switch scenarios -- a viable tactic against most of the big men in the league. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2023 season! All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. "Just looking at him, his physical stature for an edge rusher, he has length, he has the legs and the arms. He has the motor. No other player is asked to guard the same array of top-tier talent on a nightly basis. His brother also won Defensive Player of the Year three times, with Watt attending and watching him win it, so for him to win it was special. WebDefensive Player of the Year: 2022: Will Anderson Jr. ALA: 2021: Jordan Davis: UGA: 2020: Zaven Collins: TLSA: View All Winners Heres a year-by-year look at every DPOY winner since the awarding began after the 1982-83 campaign: 2021-22 Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics. For them, winning the game and beating the opposition is the number one priority. In today's NFL, DPOY buzz tends to go toward sack leaders and shutdown corners -- but Lavonte David, a linebacker, should be in this conversation in 2020. That's what being a Watt is all about. The guy basically throws his own block party every time he's out on the court. "I feel like I'm just about to be entering the prime of my career and that's why more than ever I just want to continue to find ways to get better at this game," said Watt. Judon has led the Patriots' defensive transformation in 2021, and if you're having trouble identifying him on the field, just look for his trademark red sleeves. Official release June 9, 2021 6:06 PM Rudy Gobert becomes the fourth player to earn at least three Defensive Player of the Year honors. Unfortunately for Turner, he's in the same boat as Embiid, in that he will likely be docked by voters for missing a good amount of games, as he has played in just 47 games for the Pacers this season. pic.twitter.com/88Q3V2ahX5. This article, 2021 NorCal Offensive Player Of The Year | Viliami Teu, was first published on SportStarsMag.com. 1996-97 Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta The Steelers beat the Ravens 20-19. Watt puts in endless work during the week to be able to pull off the sacks and the myriad of other things he does. Might Bill Belichick's Patriots snag a difference-maker or two? The Steelers beat the Ravens 16-13 in OT. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Defensive Player Ladder: Q&A with Sidney Moncrief, Eaton's impact lives on in Gobert, Jazz's playoff push, Defensive Player Ladder: Gobert finishes at No. 1987-88 Michael Jordan, Chicago See terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. My teammates and coaches back in Pittsburgh, this is truly not possible without you guys. This marks the third NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for Gobert, who also earned the honor in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. 2018-19 Rudy Gobert, Utah The Defensive Player of the Year will The Steelers beat the Broncos 27-19. Garrett has been trending toward this spot in this type of ranking for the last few years, but 2021 has been his best season to this point. Behind Gobert, Utah finished third in the NBA in defensive rating (107.5) and second in opponents field goal percentage (44.7). But somehow, he manages to make it look effortless on game day. As T.J. McConnell enters the Top 5, Hall of Famer Sidney Moncrief talks top defenders - from his era and now - in this week's ranking of the best defensive players. Here's an excellent example of Gobert singlehandedly stopping a transition opportunity for the Spurs by deterring three different players from making a move toward the rim: Your quick version of Rudy turning back 3 Spurs in the 1st quarter, then nodding to tell them "That's right!" Play On Cardinals OL? NFC executive told Pelissero. Series preview: What to expect in Warriors-Lakers, 5 takeaways from Warriors' Game 7 victory, Kia Defensive Player of Year: Rudy Gobert. Subscribe to Stathead Football: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Pro Football Reference Database. Hes not the only NCAA star still waiting to hear his name called. While his individual stats stand out like no other, for him it's not about those stats. A shoo-in for Defensive Rookie of the Year, he just might end up taking home the award we're talking about in this list, too. He arrives before the crack of dawn. Gobert is no stranger to winning the Defensive Player of the Year award. Offensive players have to think twice about driving into the lane when Embiid is out there, and more often than not, they decide against it. The 7-1 French native is the fourth player to win the award at least three times, joining Dikembe Mutombo (four), Ben Wallace (four) and Dwight Howard (three). The Steelers beat the Browns 15-10. It was an excellent 60-minute-long bit of evidence of just how much Donald can impact a game, including when his sheer power drew holding flags that pushed the Cardinals backward. With one month left to play in the 2021 NFL season, it's about time we attempt to sort out a tightly packed race for Defensive Player of the Year. Kyler Murray, Justin Herbert still viable, Predicting AFC division winners, playoff teams at quarter pole: Ravens take North, Chiefs best in West. "My brothers, Derek and J.J., you guys have pushed me so much to get me to this point. Where does Jets rookie Sauce Gardner land? You can't teach that desire. The Steelers defeated the Bills 23-16. Myles Garrett is quickly justifying the $125 million extension the Browns gave to him this offseason, which made him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history (until Joey Bosa passed him up a couple weeks later). Who are the top betting favorites for the 2023 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award? 1995-96 Gary Payton, Seattle 12 pick in the 2020-21 Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz. The Next Gen Stats analytics team reveals its ranking of the top 10 players at the position entering Week 15. 2007-08 Kevin Garnett, Boston His quarterback pressure rate of 20.1 percent is the highest single-season mark in the Next Gen Stats era (since 2016; minimum 200 pass rushes), and his sack rate of 5.2 percent is the second-highest. be announced during the annual NFL Honors show on Feb. 10. You can't coach that.". Carter and Davis ultimately rotated in and out, teaming up for the Bulldogs in 2021 to provide a one-two punch on the defensive interior that proved devastating for opposing offenses. Despite playing fewer games, Antetokounmpo has indeed recorded more blocks and steals than he did last year, and while the Bucks haven't been quite as good as a unit defensively, Antetokounmpo has been as good, or perhaps even better, than he was last season. 2019-20 Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee On his way to tying Strahan, Watt set a new Steelers single-season sack record when he passed James Harrison, who had 16 sacks in 2008. his five-year career since the Steelers selected him in the first -- The 2023 NFL Draft closed on Saturday (April 29) and five players from the University of Michigan football program heard their names called for a weekend total of nine players drafted. It's one of those things where if those guys played in that system and were so successful and won awards like this, why can't we do it too? He was the only player in three September games to record 20-plus tackles with at least one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one tackle for loss, one pass defensed and one QB hit, which earned him NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors. Final Expert Defensive Player of the Year Ranking for 2021-22 NBA Season Andy Bailey April 8, 2022 Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images With the 2021-22 regular Is the Jaguars' decision to make a big investment in Christian Kirk paying off so far? Gambling Problem? Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. "I think it's something that I set out to be each game, a game-wrecker," said Watt. He's tied for fifth in the league with 12.5 sacks, and he's certainly been worth every dollar Cincinnati spent on him in the offseason. "It's definitely a goal of mine to be described in that way. video for When should Pirates fans buy into this team? Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, the 2016-17 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, finished in third place with 76 points. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. I just try to put together good performance after good performance and if that classifies me as a game-wrecker, then I'll definitely take that. Will Von Miller and the Rams make a run at repeating as champions? With the ease of calling the play for No. Gobert, the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, has career averages of 12.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.24 blocks in 545 games, all with the Jazz. Among specialists: kicker, punter, and long snapper. "He's a generational guy. Defensive Player of the Year. I can be more active," Antetokounmpo said. Trying to find ways where I can continue to get better for the team. He owns the eighth-best pressure rate among interior defensive linemen (minimum 250 pass rushes) at 10 percent, ranking eighth in the entire league in defensive stops (53) and ninth in total QB pressures. 1992-93 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston University of Wisconsin product has impacted games, though. recorded 53 total tackles, four forced fumbles, four passes defended Below are my top five candidates for Defensive Player of the Year through Week 4. No interior defensive lineman causes opponents to structure their game plan around blocking them more than Donald does. The Steelers beat the Titans 19-13. To be able to be a part of this franchise hopefully for a long time, this is very special. Hendrickson leads the lead in QB pressures with 62, he's tied for the NFL lead in turnovers caused by pressure (five) and he owns the highest QB pressure rate among defenders with at least 250 pass rush snaps at 19.2 percent. 2011-12 Tyson Chandler, New York The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm Ernst & Young LLP. I'm very honored to receive this award when there's so many successful and great players in the National Football League.". Why can't I do it? He also guards in space, blocks shots before running the floor and leading a break to draw in the defense, is a roll threat and then defends the pick-and-roll with ease. His 4.2 percent sack rate is tied for the NFL lead among rushers with 300 or more pass rush snaps, and his QB pressure rate of 14.6 percent ranks sixth. pic.twitter.com/CZOPJczRdg. This ones for all of you guys. Who are the most impactful tight ends in the NFL right now? What happened to the Taste NY bathrooms on the Taconic? NBA Defensive Player of the Year finalists for 2021-22 season. heading into Week 16. Which game is featured at the top of NGS's unlikeliest victory rankings? The NBA is full of excellent defenders, which makes it tough to whittle the list down to just a few names. "I know there's so many more areas where I can improve and where I want to improve. Last year, the Eagles used the No. Before you dig in, please note that Nick Bosa and Danielle Hunter would almost certainly be on this list if not for Bosa's season-ending ACL tear or the neck injury that has kept Hunter from playing yet this season. tackles, 12 sacks, three forced fumbles and three passes defended. Teus performance in this game was so good, that eventually Lancers coach Greg Calcagnos game script simply became Give it to Juju. Teu carried the ball 45 times for 344 yards both school records. Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been named the 2021-22 KIA NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the league has announced. Western Conference Finals MVP. Plays like this one are not an outlier for Embiid. Judon has recorded 12.5 sacks, which currently ties him with Cincinnati's Trey Hendrickson for fifth in the league. PHOTOS: T.J. Watt - AP Defensive Player of the Year. NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. The Steelers beat the Seahawks 23-20 in OT. I never had the frame, the speed that a lot of people wanted. He can switch seamlessly between guarding bigs and guards, and he makes life difficult for everyone he defends thanks to his combination of size, strength, length and speed. We have seen a lot of dominance, as J.J. Watt won three in four years back from 2012-2015. That's not the only way the 27-year-old The Steelers beat the Bears 29-27. Gobert grabbed a season-high 20 defensive rebounds against the Warriors on March 14 and blocked a career-high nine shots against the Chicago Bulls on March 22. Parsons followed through on that promise, prompting Dallas to release Jaylon Smith and hand the full-time keys to the rookie, who has seized the opportunity. The former Jazz now Timberwolves big man won Defensive Player of the Year in 2018, 2019 and 2021. selected NBA All-Defensive First Team for the sixth consecutive season and earned his third All-Star selection. DO YOUR OWN 2024 MOCK DRAFT BY CLICKING HERE (or clicking Start A Mock Draft from your account page). (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers), Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt (90) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Chicago Bears, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 in Pittsburgh, PA. That's the engine that drives him. Most Improved Player. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Monday's 2-game slate of NBA playoff matchups. Does Aidan Hutchinson reign supreme? Utah's defensive approach is largely predicated on funneling opponents to Gobert, and the fact that they have a top-three team defense in the league is a testament to just how good Gobert is at protecting the paint.