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Defenders in the NBA are judged by several parameters, making it hard to pick a single player as the overall best in the league's history. However, the Defensive Player of the Year title more often than not falls on the lap of a center mainly because of the rim protection they provide.
Nonetheless, defensive maestros in other positions are recognized via NBA All-Defensive team selections. Although Rudy Gobert holds the title of NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in four years, the Utah Jazz big man still has a long way to go before he's ranked among the league's greatest defenders.
Scoring is crucial, as that will help you win games. But a great defense is what separates winners from champions. Most championships in NBA history have gone to the team that could make stops and converts on offense.
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LeBron James' chase-down block in the 2016 NBA Finals is a great example of how stellar defense can guarantee a championship. Team France have progressed to the 2021 Olympic Men's basketball final all thanks to NBA Star Nicolas Batum's clutch block to keep the Slovenians at bay.
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Players like Tim Duncan, Gary Payton and Dwight Howard deserve honorable mentions for their defensive prowess. Despite their brilliance, they fell short of this list.
That said, let's take a look at the five best defensive players in NBA history.
#5 Scottie Pippen
It is a shame that we did not see Scottie Pippen win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year title at least once in his career. However, he made ten NBA All-Defensive teams, eight of which were first-team selections.
Pippen is one of the most versatile defenders in NBA history. His 6"8 frame and athleticism gave him an edge defensively. He remains one of the few players that could guard every position if it came to it.
Even as most defenders fall short of the offensive end, Pippen remained efficient. He was the perfect Robin a Batman could ask for.
#4 Dennis Rodman
Defense, to a large extent, comes down to hustle and Dennis "The Worm" Rodman remains the epitome of that in NBA history. He could have easily been the league's best defender in history, but his size put him in a disadvantaged position.
Rodman led the league in rebounds for seven consecutive seasons from 1992-1998. Before that, he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 1990 & 1991.
The majority of his defensive plays do not reflect on the box score. He successfully drew charges, dove for loose balls, and limited opposing big men's production in the paint.
#3 Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo was drafted in the 1991 NBA Draft and wasted no time in asserting his dominance, becoming one of the few rookies in NBA history that featured in an All-Star game. He is known for wagging his finger after every successful block.
Mutombo was a force in the paint, ferociously swapping away as many balls as he could reach. He owned the paint every time he was on the court, regardless of who was on the opposition team.
In his 18-year career, he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times and was selected for the NBA All-Defensive team, seven times. He was also the block leader for back-to-back seasons from 1994-1996. In 2000 & 2001, he led the NBA in rebounds.
#2 Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon was the 1st overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. His selection paid dividends for the Houston Rockets as he helped them win two championships. It could be argued that he should be No. 1 on this list, and there will not be any pushback. However, he is not the most prolific defender in NBA history.
Olajuwon had an edge over most big men in the NBA. He possessed a unique combination of strength, athleticism, and speed that helped his game on both ends of the court. Shaquille O'Neal, one of the league's best offensive players, was completely shut down in the 1995 NBA Finals by Olajuwon.
The Dream led the NBA in blocks and rebounds in 1990. He was the NBA rebounding leader on two occasions and was also the league's block leader three times in his career.
Olajuwon won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 1993 and 1994. He was selected for nine NBA All-defensive teams, five of which were first-team selections.
#1 Bill Russell
When Bill Russell played, the NBA did not start to record statistics like steals and blocks. That suggests that we might not know to what extent how great Bill Russell is. Regardless, he remains the best defensive player in NBA history.
Russell significantly slowed down the great Wilt Chamberlain, which goes to show much of the elite defender he was. His athleticism, speed, and high basketball IQ are the factors that set him apart from every other great defender in the league's history.
He was a legendary center who understood the fundamentals of the game to a ridiculously high degree. Russell was successful in blocking a shot without fouling the player and making an upfield pass to lead to a fastbreak.
The NBA did not start giving Defensive Player of the Year awards until 1982, but he made an All-Defensive First Team, which was at the tail-end of his career.
Regardless, he was the NBA rebounding champion four times, won the regular season MVP award five times, and was an eleven-time NBA champion.
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