The NBA started handing out Defensive Player Of The Year awards in the 1982-83 season. Bucks guard Sidney Moncrief won the first 2 awards. He and 85-86 winner Alvin Robertson were the shortest winners at 6'3". The only other true guards to win the award were Michael Jordan, 6'6" in 87-88 and Gary Payton, 6'4" in 95-96.
Most other DPOY winners were big men who blocked shots and dominated the paint. From Mark Eaton to Dikembe to Ben Wallace and now Dwight Howard, the media usually rewards guys who put up big numbers in boards & blocks. More than half the awards have been won by centers and there hasn't been a true guard winner in 14 years since Payton.
However, shot blockers in today's NBA usually don't guard the most dangerous player on the opposing team. What dominant center is Dwight Howard shutting down? Matt Barnes is dealing with Kobe for 35 minutes while Dwight shuts down Bynum. And Dwight gets an award for that? Howard doesn't guard any of the top MVP candidates like LeBron, Kobe, Carmelo, Durant, Dirk or Wade and yet he was named defensive player of the year.
Having a big guy who is ready to block shots and help out on defense is valuable. Rebounds are a big plus as well. But how about the guards who lock down the best players without needing help? How about the small guys who stay in front of their man, disrupt the offense's rhythm and force steals?
Basing the award on who does the best job guarding the best offensive players as well as providing help when needed, I'm giving this season's Defensive Player of the Year to 6'4" Miami guard Dwyane Wade.
Wade finished the season 1st among guards with 1.07 bpg, 4th among guards with 1.84 spg, & 8th among guards with 4.9 rpg. Jason Kidd was the only other guard in the top 10 of all 3 categories.
Wade is one of the best on ball defenders in the league, effectively guarding the likes of Kobe, LeBron and Deron Williams.
Wade is also an outstanding help defender, capitalizing on passing lane steals and weak side blocks. In a win against Charlotte in March, Wade had a game high 5 blocked shots, including this crusher over 7'1" Tyson Chandler. 9 inches of height difference is no obstacle for Flash.
Rajon Rondo is another guard who had an outstanding year defensively. Rondo led the entire league in steals and was effective guarding the league's best offensive point guards. But he also had help with Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins & Rasheed Wallace patrolling the paint behind him. That enabled him to take more risks than Wade who had a faded out Jermaine O'Neal in his front court.
Dwyane Wade faced the toughest defensive challenges with the best results night after night. Maybe the coaches will give him more recognition when the All-NBA Defensive teams are announced.
For now, he is the Mojo Hoops Defensive Small of the Year.
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