Especially in the NBA, defense doesn’t look or feel as cool as scoring. When kids see high-flying dunkers and exhilarating passers, they’re inspired to hit the playground and imitate their favorite stars. The important thing to remember is that no matter how great your offensive plays are, you can’t win games or championships without a great defense to back it up.
These are the best defensive players in NBA history, from shot-blocking big men to versatile perimeter defenders.
1. Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon patrolled the paint with an athleticism and strength never seen before or since. Olajuwon’s defensive presence, combining shot blocking, ball-stealing ability, and transition ability in an era when centers didn’t have to guard on the perimeter, made him the greatest player of all time on that end of the floor, twice became the champion.
2. Bill Russell


Bill Russell benefited from an era without 3-point lines. That meant offensive players tended to attack in the paint even though they knew Russell would swallow the shot every time. Despite these caveats, Russell’s defense pioneered the importance of skill in basketball and was the foundation of the greatest dynasty in NBA history. His jumping ability and intelligence made him the greatest shot blocker of all time.
3. Draymond Green


Draymond Green is the most versatile defender in basketball history. Green, who is petite at just 6 feet 6 inches tall, runs the court with supreme ferocity and IQ, propelling the Golden State Warriors, who basically have no other great defenders on the team, to the top of the defensive rankings year after year. . He often protects large and small players on defense, and plays a role similar to a free safety in soccer.
4. Tim Duncan


Tim Duncan famously never won Defensive Player of the Year, proving that accolades don’t matter when evaluating talent on the defensive end of the floor. Duncan spent 20 years with the San Antonio Spurs, often serving as a catalyst for a team that routinely shut down access to the basket and limited opponents to around 70 points per game.
5. Dennis Rodman


Dennis Rodman is the best rebounder in NBA history for his size, but his defense was more than wiping the glass. Rodman introduced a new type of style on that end of the floor in his 1980s and his 1990s, and Draymond introduced a novel speed and quickness that players like Green would emulate in today’s defenses. I created it.
6. Scottie Pippen


Michael Jordan is largely responsible for the Chicago Bulls’ success in the 1990s, but Scottie Pippen almost always protected the other team’s best player. This allowed Jordan to perform at his best in attack and save his energy. Pippen’s length and versatility allowed him to shut down everyone from Larry Bird to Magic Johnson. Forwards like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard use Pippen a lot in today’s defensive games.
7. Michael Jordan


Michael Jordan’s aggressive defense on the perimeter early in his career set him apart from any other offensive-minded guard in NBA history. He was one of the only players under 6’7″ to win Defensive Player of the Year, and his big hands and trash talk constantly got into opponents’ heads.
8. Ben Wallace


Ben Wallace absolutely destroyed offensive attackers in the paint for the Detroit Pistons in the early 2000s. He fearlessly defended opposing centers like Shaquille O’Neal even when he was much smaller and didn’t have to put up that kind of physical resistance. Wallace is one of the only players to win Defensive Player of the Year four times.
9. Dikembe Mutombo


Dikembe Mutombo’s signature finger wag after a blocked shot served as a signal to his teammates to step into the paint at your own risk. Only players like Hakeem Olajuwon and Bill Russell can match Mutombo’s shot blocking. He also won Defensive Player of the Year four times during his career with teams such as the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta Hawks.
10. Gary Payton


Gary Payton made life miserable for others with his big mouth and equally big game, suffocating point guards and shooting guards the moment he crossed halfcourt. The Seattle SuperSonics benefited greatly from Payton’s defensive exploits, earning him one of the best nicknames in basketball, “The Glove.”
11. Kevin Garnett


Kevin Garnett’s cocky attitude and confidence level, combined with his elite jumping and speed, made him the yin to Tim Duncan’s yang in the 2000s. Garnett brings a flair to the defense that Duncan lacks, making the dirty side of basketball much more fun to watch.
12. Sidney Moncrief


Sidney Moncrief proved that smaller players can have just as much of an impact defensively as forwards and centers. Moncrief consistently challenged the likes of Isiah Thomas and Magic Johnson in the backcourt, pushing Milwaukee into title contention against more talented players and teams in the East.
13. Kawhi Leonard


Kawhi Leonard began his career as a defensive specialist. With his wingspan, hand size, and gentle demeanor, there was no player in the league that Leonard couldn’t harass and make his life difficult. Leonard focused more on offense as his career progressed, and he continues to be an offensive force in his current state.
14. Wilt Chamberlain


Wilt Chamberlain towered over offensive players in the 1960s, blocking nearly nine shots per game. According to basketball historians. Bill Russell took a more cautious approach on defense, while Wilt wanted to intimidate his players and block as many shots as possible into the stands.
15. Dwight Howard


Dwight Howard made the most of his otherworldly jumping ability on defense, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award three times with the Orlando Magic in the 2000s, and recording an incredible number of blocked shots. . His threatening presence helped lead the team to his NBA Finals in 2009.
16. Bobby Jones


Bobby Jones was a mainstay for the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1970s and 1980s. He, along with Julius Erving and Moses Malone, provided small intangibles that the team needed. Jones used his 6-foot-9 frame and wingspan to guard players both bigger and smaller than himself.
17. Walt Frazier


Walt Frazier was one of two point guards in the 1970s who used defense as a true calling card. Frazier heads off the opposing team’s best guards at the start of every possession, making it much easier for teammates like Willis Reed to defend the paint for the New York Knicks, who are competing for two titles. Did.
18. Jerry West


Although Jerry West did not have the benefit of All-Defensive honors early in his career, he was still named to four first teams after the honor was introduced in the late 1960s. West understands how his own deft shooting and passing can cause other offensive players to struggle, and he uses this against players like Oscar Robertson and the aforementioned Walt Frazier. I used it to my advantage.
19. Dennis Johnson


Dennis Johnson was the glue the Boston Celtics and Seattle SuperSonics needed to win championships in the 1970s and 1980s. Although one of the biggest guards of his era, smaller players at his position found it impossible to get around DJ as he patrolled the perimeter.
20. David Robinson


The Admiral is often overlooked in favor of colleagues like Hakeem Olajuwon, but he arguably set the standard for defensive excellence long before Tim Duncan took over the baton in the 2000s. Robinson was named to eight All-Defensive teams and won Defensive Player of the Year in 1992.
21. Rudy Gobert


Rudy Gobert’s three Defensive Player of the Year awards may be a bit of a stretch when comparing his defensive impact to contemporaries like Draymond Green and Kawhi Leonard. Still, Gobert remains an elite presence in an era that has tried to banish big men from the NBA.
22. Kobe Bryant


Kobe Byant continued to earn All-Defensive honors long after his performance on that end of the floor began to decline. However, his reputation as a great defender was earned early in his career. Kobe’s competitive nature has allowed him to avoid being passed by rivals such as Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady.