NBA Defensive Player of The Year: 5 Players who missed out

#3 Bruce Bowen

Bruce Bowen defends Kobe

Bruce Bowen isn't a big-time superstar like the other four names on this list, but he would have been if defensive players received the same praise as offensive players. Bowen's defensive resume shows eight all-defensive selections, including five to the all-defensive first team.

He won championships with San Antonio in 2003, 2005 and 2007 as the team's premier defensive stopper, regularly tasked with guarding NBA legends such as Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Ray Allen, and LeBron James.

Bowen finished third in DPOY voting for three consecutive seasons between 2005 and 2007, and he also finished fourth in 2004 and 2008. His five-year stretch finishing in the top four of DPOY voting is an incredible achievement, but he was never able to catch the voters' attention enough to win the award himself; Ben Wallace (2005-2006) and Marcus Camby (2007) were the men to deny him from winning.