Evan Mobley, the 23-year-old center for the Cleveland Cavaliers, won perhaps the highest honor. He has been great defensively, making the NBA’s All-Defensive first team for the 2022-23 season. Mobley’s exceptional performance helped lead the Cavaliers to an impressive 64-win season, showcasing his skills as one of the most versatile big men in the league.
Mobley averaged 1.6 blocks per game, cementing his status as a defensive tour de force. His versatility to guard all five positions, in addition to his shot-blocking terror, put him on the radar all throughout the league. In only his fourth season, Mobley has quickly established himself as the Cavaliers’ focal point. Yet today, he’s considered a cornerstone of their defensive strategy.
Joining Mobley on the first team are recognizable names such as Dyson Daniels, Luguentz Dort, Draymond Green, and Amen Thompson. Making defensive history Most impressively, Daniels, Dort, and Thompson all received their first All-Defensive selections this year, a triumphant milestone in each of their careers. For Draymond Green, a bona fide veteran in his own right, history is still being written. With this All-Defensive Team selection, he now has nine to his name, which ties him for the seventh-most in NBA history.
As a result, Rudy Gobert made his eighth All-Defensive Team, and third straight, as well. Winning this award would add to his already lofty candidacy as one of the league’s elite defenders. Gobert, who was named the DPOY last season, is a four-time winner of that prestigious honor. On defense, he is still one of the most important players on that end of the court.
Strong candidates include 2023 Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. He earned a place on the All-Defensive second team. This is Jackson’s third selection to the All-Defensive teams, underlining his long-time defensive prowess.
That second team included guys like Toumani Camara, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Rudy Gobert. It was a powerful lineup that included both established stars and emerging talents. The addition of both veteran and new defensive players highlights the wealth of defensive talent on this season’s league.
Tim Bontemps, senior NBA writer for ESPN.com, joined us to discuss what the selections say. He emphasized their importance in shaping the league’s future. These players—most of whom are currently—are being recognized for their exceptional accomplishments. This accolade highlights the shifting realities of defense in pro hoops.
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