The NBA removed positions from the postseason award ballots, which meant the top of the All-Defensive Teams list swung toward big men — in the modern game, they are more impactful as defenders.
Four centers took up spots on the five-man first team, but the second team was stacked with guards and wings. Here’s the complete list, as voted on by a select group of 99 media members.
NBA All-Defensive Teams
All-Defense First Team
Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs)
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)
Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
Herbert Jones (New Orleans Pelicans)
All-Defense Second Team
Alex Caruso (Chicago Bulls)
Jalen Suggs (Orlando Magic)
Derrick White (Boston Celtics)
Jaden McDaniels (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics)
A few thoughts on the team:
• Alex Caruso had a thought on making the Second Team (he also said in other posts he was honored.
The 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive Second Team:
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
▪️ Alex Caruso of @chicagobulls
▪️ Jrue Holiday of @celtics
▪️ Jaden McDaniels of @Timberwolves
▪️ Jalen Suggs of @OrlandoMagic
▪️ Derrick White of @celtics pic.twitter.com/IdaekqTeHs
• Lu Dort just missed making the All-Defensive Team by a couple of votes, with Kawhi Leonard next. If Leonard had not missed the last eight games of the regular season, I wonder if he would have been front of mind for more voters and made the team. Here are the full voting results.
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team: pic.twitter.com/k3FODNJ0YU
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
• Gobert was the only player unanimously voted onto the First Team. A dozen voters put Wembanyama on the second team, and one left him off the ballot entirely. Interesting.
• Gobert now has seven first-team selections.
• Wembanyama is the first rookie to be selected to the All-Defensive First Team (which has existed since 1969, so no Bill Russell or some other bigs of that era). He’s going to be a First-Team fixture for a lot of years.
• Surprisingly, this is Adebayo’s first time making the First Team (he was on the Second Team each of the last four seasons).
• Domantas Sabonis got two All-Defensive votes, one for First Team. I have no words.
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