The NBA revealed its two All-Defensive teams, honoring the 10 players who were voted the best defenders in the league this season. Among the names listed were all-time great defenders like Rudy Gobert and Draymond Green, as well as newcomers like Amen Thompson and Toumani Camara. One name, however, was egregiously missing from the list: OG Anunoby.
Evan Mobley, the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year, Dyson Daniels, Green, Luguentz Dort, and Thompson were the players to receive First-Team honors. Ivica Zubac, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jalen Williams, Camara, and Gobert made up the Second-Team.
This is not an attempt to slight any of those players, each has a strong case to be recognized for their work on the defensive side of the ball. That said, there are simply not 10 players in the league who are better or more impactful defenders than Anunoby; there just aren't.
For what it is worth, Anunoby received votes, just not enough. He received two First-Team votes and 45 Second-Team votes, for a total score of 49 points. With that total, Anunoby was the highest vote getter to not land on one of the two All-Defensive teams.
Anunoby is a defensive monster
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Of players who played at least 65 games, the league's minimum requirement to qualify for end-of-season awards, Anunoby was one of only three players with 110 steals and 65 blocks on the season. He routinely guards the opposing team's best player, and his impact is always visible when watching the games.
Anunoby possesses an incredibly unique blend of size, strength, length, and quickness, which makes him one of the most versatile defenders in the league. Not only is he capable of guarding smaller ball-handlers in space on the perimeter, but he can bang down low with opposing teams' centers or neutralize a back-to-the-basket big in the post.
In the regular season, he was one of only 15 players to defend the ball handler in 900 or more picks, defend at least 150 isolations, and defend at least 25 post-ups. Past his versatility, he is one of the smartest defenders in the league.
Time to add third All-Defensive team
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The snub of Anunoby is more evidence that the team needs to add another All-Defensive team. There are three All-NBA teams; why not have three teams to recognize defensive-minded players as well? The league has never been more talented, and several other deserving candidates, such as Bam Adebayo, Derrick White, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, also missed out.
Anunoby had arguably the worst defensive game of his season in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, making [multiple costly blunders](https://dailyknicks.com/knicks-needed-og-to-deliver-and-what-they-got-may-cost-them-the-series) during the Pacers' historic comeback run. Perhaps the voting snub is the extra motivation he needs to bounce back in Game 2.