NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Odds (2026-27)

The following post features NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds (2026-27).

As the 2026-27 NBA season approaches, oddsmakers have released their Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) odds, providing an early look at the top contenders for a season-long futures bet.

Read: NBA Sixth Man Of The Year Odds

Related: NBA Most Improved Player Odds

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) race offers a unique betting opportunity, allowing bettors to back elite specialists poised to anchor top defenses and dominate defensive impact metrics.

So, how is the NBA Defensive Player of the Year race shaping up for 2026-27? Here’s what you need to know.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Odds (2026-27)

Below is a table displaying the odds for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. All odds were sourced on Oct 14, 2026. Click here for the very latest odds (via OddsChecker).

Preseason Player Spotlights

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Wembanyama became the youngest and first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in 2025-26, receiving all 100 first-place votes while averaging a league-leading 3.1 blocks to go with 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds. He anchored the Spurs’ elite defense en route to a 62-20 record and an NBA Finals appearance, earning All-Defensive First Team honors. Still only 22, he enters 2026-27 as the overwhelming favorite to repeat as the league’s top defender.

Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder

Holmgren finished second in 2025-26 DPOY voting and earned All-Defensive First Team honors as a cornerstone of the Thunder’s league-best defense. The 7-foot-1 big averaged strong blocks and rim protection numbers while contributing on both ends for a 64-18 Oklahoma City team. With the Thunder again expected to rank among the top defensive units, Holmgren remains one of the primary challengers to Wembanyama in 2026-27.

Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons

Thompson finished third in 2025-26 DPOY voting and made the All-Defensive First Team after leading the NBA in steals at 2.0 per game. The athletic wing also ranked near the top of the league in deflections and helped Detroit post one of the best defensive ratings in the East. Entering 2026-27 as a key piece of a Pistons team that won 60 games last season, Thompson’s versatility and disruption on the perimeter keep him firmly in the DPOY conversation.

Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves

Gobert finished fourth in 2025-26 DPOY voting and earned All-Defensive First Team honors once again as Minnesota’s primary rim protector. The four-time former DPOY continues to deter shots at the basket and clean the glass for a Timberwolves team that reached the conference semifinals. With a new supporting cast that includes LaMelo Ball, Gobert’s presence remains critical, and he enters 2026-27 as a perennial candidate for the award.

Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers

Mobley has established himself as one of the league’s premier two-way bigs, combining length, mobility, and shot-blocking with improving offensive skills. He helped Cleveland reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025-26 while ranking among the top defensive players at his position. Entering 2026-27 alongside Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, Mobley’s ability to guard multiple positions gives him a strong path to climb the DPOY ladder.

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Adebayo earned All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2025-26 for his versatility, switchability, and consistent impact on both ends of the floor. The Heat big can guard centers, wings, and perimeter players while facilitating the offense. With Giannis Antetokounmpo now in Miami, Adebayo’s defensive role remains vital, and he enters 2026-27 as a reliable candidate capable of another strong showing in DPOY voting.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Results (2025-26)

Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs unanimously won the 2025-26 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, becoming the first player in the award’s history (dating to 1982-83) to sweep all 100 first-place votes from the media panel and the youngest winner ever at age 22; the 7-foot-4 forward-center led the league in blocks for a third consecutive season at 3.08 per game, anchored the Spurs’ No. 3-ranked defense (which allowed over 10 fewer points per 100 possessions with him on the floor), and edged finalists Chet Holmgren of Oklahoma City and Ausar Thompson of Detroit after qualifying late for the season following earlier health concerns.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award

The NBA Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award, which grants the winner the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, is bestowed annually upon the best defensive player during the regular season. The winner is selected by a global panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters who cast first, second, and third-place votes, with values of five points, three points, and one point, respectively. This award historically favors rim-protecting big men who anchor elite team defenses. Players must also meet the league’s new eligibility requirement of 65 games played to ensure consistent defensive impact throughout the season.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Winner (by Year)

Click here for the Defensive Player of the Year Award Winner by year.