Defensive Player Ladder: Rudy Gobert holds No. 1 spot, Ben Simmons rises

Basketball defense enthusiasts might ponder an interesting question posed by Gary Payton II and his more renowned father: Does the D in DNA stand for defense?

It became legit to wonder after Payton II, 28, was named last month as the 2020-21 G League Defensive Player of the Year for his work with the Raptors 905 squad in the Orlando bubble. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Oregon State product averaged 2.54 steals to go with 10.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 13 games in the pandemic-shortened season. He got seven of his 33 steals, as well as 11 defensive rebounds, on Feb. 13 against the Ignite elite team.

If the G League had a Defensive Player Ladder similar to the NBA, Payton II would be at the top. He is quite proud of the award he received.

“He stated in a recent phone interview, “Growing up, I was constantly exposed to that mindset by observing my dad. I believe it boils down to pride – it’s enjoyable for me to defend against the best player [from the opposing team] and neutralize their performance. I derive pleasure from creating chaos on that part of the court, whether I’m defending a guard or a bigger player. I believe my natural instincts come into play.”

It’s in his DNA!

Congrats to the @nbagleague Defensive Player of the Year GPll.#RoadToTheSix pic.twitter.com/zxMaTMWMia

— Raptors 905 (@Raptors905) March 19, 2021

This is where the debate of nature vs. nurture arises.

In the 39-year history of the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award, the only point guard to have won it is Payton the elder. He achieved this in 1995-96, outpacing other notable defensive players in the voting. He received 56 first-place votes, significantly more than Scottie Pippen (15), Dikembe Mutombo (11), David Robinson (9), Hakeem Olajuwon (8), Michael Jordan (7), and Dennis Rodman (4).

Payton received the award during a period where he was selected for the All-Defense first-team nine times consecutively. In the 1995-96 season, under the unique switching style of coach George Karl, Seattle dominated the Western Conference, finishing with a 64-18 record. Their defensive and net ratings were the second-best, surpassed only by the Bulls. They eventually faced the Bulls in the Finals but lost in six games.

Payton, known as “The Glove” due to his close sticking to his opponents, came sixth in the MVP voting that season. This was one of eight instances where he made it to the Top 10.

Payton II stated that his defense-focused mindset began surprisingly early, around the time of the 1996 Finals. He was just three years old at the time, but insists that he absorbed the lessons on display, believe it or not.

“That’s where it all began, everything that happened that season,” he stated. “Afterwards, several players I grew up with, such as [Jason] Kidd, Kevin Garnett, and other family friends, would show up at the gym. I would also pick their brains, attempting to absorb as much knowledge as possible.”

It’s quite likely that Payton II received his unwelcome nickname, “The Mitten,” around that time. “I’ve made several attempts to put an end to it,” he said, chuckling. “It just seemed to stick, I suppose.”

Usually, one would picture a great basketball player lifting their child near the rim so they could easily and enjoyably drop the ball through. However, the Paytons seemingly didn’t engage in such activities, nor did they focus on footwork or persistence on the opposite side of the court.

“Growing up, he was always fostering our competitive spirit,” Payton II, who has four siblings who don’t play, stated. “But it’s not like we specifically practiced defensive drills at the gym. It was more like I learned it naturally at a young age since I was constantly exposed to it.”

Then it dawned on me as I grew older. My father somewhat gave me the independence to figure things out on my own. It’s essentially about repetition. I do study tapes of specific people, striving to create as much disruption as possible.

Since 2002, the NBA’s developmental league has been awarding its DPOY. Notable winners, measured by the number of games they later played in the NBA, include Chris Boucher from Toronto and former role players like DeAndre Liggins, Greg Stiemsma, and Mikki Moore.

Clearly, Payton II would prefer not to win the same honor consecutively. He has played 61 games in the NBA from 2016 to 2020 with teams such as the Bucks, Lakers, and Wizards. His goal is to return to the league, and he thinks his defensive skills could be his way back.

Payton II shared, “I’ve been guarding a lot of fours and fives this season. I have no issue being physical with the larger players. In fact, I consider myself more physically aggressive than the league prefers. If I had the opportunity to play during the era my father did in the ’90s, I would relish in it. I appreciate the level of physical contact they permitted back then.”

Now, I rely more on my mental strategy, aiming to unsettle the attacking player by outsmarting him. My primary focus is to find an environment that suits me, at the right time. My goal is to secure a guaranteed one-year stint, which could impress others and potentially lead to a multi-year commitment.

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This week’s Top 5 on the 2020-21 Defensive Player Ladder are as follows:

(All stats through Monday, April 5)

1. Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz

Last week’s Ladder: 1

Gobert is not just a frontrunner for his third Defensive Player of the Year award, but he’s also a potential candidate for some MVP votes due to his significant influence on Utah, his efficiency, and the injury conditions of other usual candidates like Joel Embiid, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. However, his performance as a rim protector and helper, with a 6.6 percentage point difference in opponents’ FG%, the 19.5 DFGA he encounters and his 0.168 defensive win shares, is what truly drives the Jazz’s overall play.

Gonna let @georgesniang20 say it: "I don't think anybody affects the game more defensively than Rudy does and that's just a fact."

DPOY X 3 pic.twitter.com/R3UzBgm7Cv

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 30, 2021

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2. Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers

Last week’s Ladder: 3

Simmons’ equal or superior case for DPOY has helped Philadelphia maintain its position in the defensive rankings despite Joel Embiid’s injury. He averages 1.5 steals, 3.5 deflections, and recovers 1.3 loose balls every night, demonstrating pride in guarding the most dangerous scorers of the opposing team when necessary. Throughout the season, he has been the league’s best on-ball defender.

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3. Myles Turner, Indiana Pacers

Last week’s Ladder: 2

The Pacers’ center continues to lead in blocks per game (3.5) and total blocks (156). He has also blocked eight shots in Indiana’s last three games. However, Turner has consistently been in the negative, with a cumulative minus-38, even though the team was outpaced by 16 points, resulting in a 1-2 record.

Myles Turner defense to up the @Pacers win! pic.twitter.com/Zi08zAbNbB

— NBA (@NBA) April 4, 2021

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4. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Last week’s Ladder: 5

The orchestrator of Milwaukee’s defense has a defensive rating of 106.6, with opponents successfully making 41.7% of their shots against him, according to NBA.com/Stats | Players Defense Dash Overall. Under coach Mike Budenholzer’s strategies in the last three games, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) and his teammates have managed to outscore their opponents by 10.1 points, while restricting their shooting success to 42.1%.

Caruso, meet the DPOY. pic.twitter.com/goLbtSOdaq

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 1, 2021

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5. Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat

Last week’s Ladder: N/A

Separating individual players from their team’s entry on this Ladder can be challenging at times. Utah boasts players like Gobert, Mike Conley and others. The Sixers line-up includes Simmons, a healthy Embiid, and Matisse Thybulle. Milwaukee has a strong roster with Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, among others. Meanwhile, the Miami Heat have Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, who are both deserving of defensive praise. Adebayo gets special recognition for playing more games, being a constant anchor for Miami’s defense, and making a significant 7-point difference when he’s playing versus when he’s off the court. [ NBA.com/Stats | Miami Heat ]

Bam showing his versatility defending Steph here: pic.twitter.com/t80n6c0CP0

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 2, 2021

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The Next Five

(In no particular order)

T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers

• Drops out of Top 5 following an average of 0.5 steals as Pacers record 1-3.

Matisse Thybulle, Philadelphia 76ers

• As an exceptional competitor and annoyance, he is based on the 37.1% DFG% of those around him.

OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors 

• Wingspan, footwork, and limiting opponents to a 34.7% shooting percentage in the paint (excluding the restricted area).

Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns

• The energetic point guard, who also acts as a coach on the floor, particularly excels on the defensive end.

Clint Capela, Atlanta Hawks

• Men who play against him average just 0.81 points per possession.

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Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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