Including Kobe, Duncan, including the ten defensive greats, but did not get the best defensive player

When we talk about the best defensive players in NBA history, many names come up, including superstars like Dennis Rodman, Hake-em Olajuwon, and Michael Jordan, who have all received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, but some players have also played great defense and have been named to the best defensive teams many times, but unfortunately have never received the best defensive player.

In recognition of these outstanding defensive players, here is a ranking of the 10 players who have not won the Defensive Player of the Year award.

10. Bruce Bowen

5-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08)

3-time NBA Second Team All-Defensive Team selection (2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03)

Bruce Bowen is one of the dirtiest defensive players in NBA history. He was a defender who excelled at using hidden small moves and great physicality to disrupt the scorers he played against, his tangle with Kobe in the playoffs was undoubtedly memorable and he will always be regarded as one of the best outside defenders the Spurs have ever had.

9. Jason Kidd

4-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2005-06)

5 times named to the NBA's Best Defensive Team Second-Team (1999-00, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2006-07)

Jason Kidd is one of the most versatile point guards we have ever seen, he is strong, agile, has very good passing vision, and has great defensive awareness, Kidd can limit most point guards, with his very strong arm, he can pluck the ball away from the ball handler, even late in his career, Kidd's defensive ability is still strong, he helped the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA championship in 2011 He helped the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Championship in 2011.

8. Dennis Johnson

6-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1986-87)

3-time NBA Second-Team All-Defensive Team selection (1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86)

Dennis Johnson was a defensive organizational guard who won three NBA championships with the Boston Celtics. Johnson was named to the best defensive team nine times in his career and was a great defender whose presence on the court was meant to make it more difficult for opponents to score. Already a Hall of Farmer, Johnson averaged 1.3 steals and caps per game during his successful 14-year career.

7. Bobby Jones

8 times named to the NBA's best defensive team for a while (1976-77, 1977-78, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81, 1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84)

1-time NBA Second-Team All-Defensive Player of the Year (1984-85)

Bobby Jones was named to the Best Defensive Team nine times and was the first player ever to win the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award as a Philadelphia Erse legend. In May 1986, at the age of 34, Bobby Jones announced his retirement, and his No. 24 jersey was retired by the Erse, and on April 6, 2019, Bobby Jones was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Jones had 8 seasons and was selected for the best defensive lineup in a while, he relied on his defense to help the Erse win the NBA championship in 1982.

6. Chris Paul

7-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2008-09, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17)

Named to the NBA's Best Defensive Second Team 2 times (2007-08, 2010-11)

Whenever we talk about Chris Paul as a player, his defense is always recognized by everyone. Although Paul is very short, he is surprisingly strong and he is also very fast. Chris Paul has won 6 NBA Steals of the Year and averaged 2.2 steals per game in his career, Chris Paul's team plays great defense every time he is on the court.

5. Gary Payton

9 times in the NBA's best defensive team a (9193-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02)

To date, Gary "The Glove" Payton is one of the greatest defensive players we have ever seen he has never won Defensive Player of the Year, but he is called "The Glove" because he is good at stealing through the gaps in the opponent's passing game (career He was called "The Glove" because of his ability to steal from the opponent's passing game (1.8 career steals per game), and Payton was the best player on the Seattle Supersonics, so it's clear that his defensive impact was extraordinary.

4. Scottie Pippen

8 times named to the NBA's best defensive team for a while (1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99)

Named to the NBA's best defensive second-team 2 times (1990-91, 1999-00)

Michael Jordan got the Defensive Player of the Year award, but Scottie Pippen did not, which is very surprising because Pippen was supposed to be the Bulls' defensive specialist and everyone thought he should have won at least one Defensive Player of the Year award. Pippen's defense was the foundation of the Bulls' six championships, and he is one of the most unfortunate players ever to not win the DPOY award in the NBA.

3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

(5 times selected as the NBA's best defensive team (1973-74, 1974-75, 1978-79, 1979-80, 1980-81)

6 times named to the NBA's best defensive team second-team (1969-70, 1970-71, 1975-76, 1976-77, 1977-78, 1983-84)

Jabbar's defense seemed to be overshadowed by his offensive prowess. Kareem, Abdul-Jabbar was a terrific defensive player who was named to the Best Defensive Team for 11 seasons throughout his career. The legendary 7-foot-tall big man could defend opponents' shots with ease, but what was particularly impressive was his defensive awareness because he knew how to disrupt any big man trying to score inside, and he has a career average of 2.6 caps per game.

2. Kobe Bryant

9-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1999-00, 2002-03, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11)

3 times named to the NBA's best defensive lineup second-team (2000-01, 2001-02, 2011-12)

Kobe is one of the best scorers in NBA history, and he is also one of the greatest defensive players the NBA has ever seen. Kobe's defensive skills are not great, but he has a very aggressive defensive attitude and also has good defensive awareness.

Kobe is good at cutting off the opponent's offensive route on the defensive end because he can predict the opponent's offensive intentions in advance. Kobe has been selected to the best defensive team 12 times throughout his career, but unfortunately, he has never won the best defensive player award.

1. Tim Duncan

8 times selected as the best defensive team in the NBA (1998-99, 1999-00, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08)

7 times named to the NBA's best defensive team second-team (1997-98, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2014-15)

There is no doubt that Tim Duncan was the greatest defensive player of all time, and although he never won the Defensive Player of the Year award, Duncan was named to the Best Defensive Team 15 seasons, and even in the season that Tim Duncan retired, he was still one of the best rebound protectors in the league.

Duncan was a dominant defensive player because he knew how to move his position to disrupt offensive players. The Spurs built their team around Tim Duncan for 19 seasons, and Duncan's defense was the foundation on which they built their dynasty. Legendary coach Gregg Popovich still has nothing but praise for Tim Duncan, especially for Duncan's contributions on the defensive end.