Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart captured his first career NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award last season. Smart received 37 first-place votes, becoming the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1996.
Who are the early favorites to walk away with this year’s hardware? Here’s a look at updated odds at the online sportsbook:
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Preseason DPOY Odds
Player' | Team' | Odds |
Rudy Gobert | MIN | +400 |
Bam Adebayo | MIA | +650 |
Robert Williams | BOS | +800 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | MIL | +850 |
Mikal Bridges | PHX | +1200 |
Draymond Green | GSW | +1400 |
Marcus Smart | BOS | +1400 |
Anthony Davis | LAK | +1400 |
Evan Mobley | CLE | +1600 |
Ben Simmons | PHI | +1800 |
Unsurprisingly, it’s Minnesota Timberwolves big man and three-time DPOY recipient Rudy Gobert leading the way at +400 odds.
Should Gobert reclaim the crown, he would join Hall of Famers Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as the only four-time winners in the history of the NBA.