The Top 10 Defenders in NBA History (In terms of impact)

[1987_Lakers]

Toughest era to defend in.. only 1 from that era top 10?

Can't quit me.

[Xiao Yao You]

Not trying to

[L.Kizzle]

KG over Ben Wallace too, how?

[1987_Lakers]

KG over Ben Wallace too, how?

KG was a much better man defender & more versatile. Wallace was obviously the better rim protector, but there was a lot to be desired with his man defense mostly because of his size. You could argue they had similar peaks in terms of impact, might even say Wallace was more impactful, but KG's defensive prime was much longer. There was a 6 year stretch or so when Ben Wallace was a top tier defender, KG was a defensive menace for 12+ years.

[L.Kizzle]

KG was a much better man defender & more versatile. Wallace was obviously the better rim protector, but there was a lot to be desired with his man defense mostly because of his size. You could argue they had similar peaks in terms of impact, might even say Wallace was more impactful, but KG's defensive prime was much longer. There was a 6 year stretch or so when Ben Wallace was a top tier defender, KG was a defensive menace for 12+ years.

You literally said Ben Wallace was more impactful. KG miss be paying you under the table to be ranked over Wilt and Big Ben Wallace.

[1987_Lakers]

You literally said Ben Wallace was more impactful. KG miss be paying you under the table to be ranked over Wilt and Big Ben Wallace.

KG was more impactful for more years.

If I just ignored longevity, I would have listed Walton. Easily would have made top 5.

[1987_Lakers]

[L.Kizzle]

KG was more impactful for more years.

If I just ignored longevity, I would have listed Walton. Easily would have made top 5.

Don't you list McHale over Karl Malone due to one season lol.

What's more impactful than Ben's defense. He won 4 DPOY, twice back to back. They were in the NBA Finals or Conference Finals the seasons he won the award. Funny enough the years he comes in 2nd the Pistons win the championship.
What's more impactful than that?

[1987_Lakers]

Don't you list McHale over Karl Malone due to one season lol.

What's more impactful than Ben's defense. He won 4 DPOY, twice back to back. They were in the NBA Finals or Conference Finals the seasons he won the award. Funny enough the years he comes in 2nd the Pistons win the championship.
What's more impactful than that?

I don't have McHale ranked ahead of Malone as a player, if we are talking peaks though. I'm taking McHale.

Duncan never won a DPOY award. Should he be left off the list? I already gave you my reasoning. Wallace was an elite defender for 6 years, both Duncan and KG dominated on defense from their early 20's well into their mid 30's. Hell, I remember Duncan getting DPOY buzz well into his late 30's.

The fact that I have Ben Wallace at #7 with such a short defensive prime compared to other bigs should already tell you how much I value his defense.

Let's see your top 10.

[Axe]

He's a great player but why isn't he included in your top 10? He's been said to be the best two-way player the league has seen in the modern era.

At least according to the most narcissistic homocasual itb.

[L.Kizzle]

I don't have McHale ranked ahead of Malone as a player, if we are talking peaks though. I'm taking McHale.

Duncan never won a DPOY award. Should he be left off the list? I already gave you my reasoning. Wallace was an elite defender for 6 years, both Duncan and KG dominated on defense from their early 20's well into their mid 30's. Hell, I remember Duncan getting DPOY buzz well into his late 30's.

The fact that I have Ben Wallace at #7 with such a short defensive prime compared to other bigs should already tell you how much I value his defense.

Let's see your top 10.

Russell
Wilt
Hakeem
Wallace
Mutombo
Duncan
Robinson
Dwight
Thurmond
Garnett

Right below
Rodman
Zo
Giannis
Draymond
Ewing

Didn't do any wings/guards

[iamgine]

I have a hard time ranking Wilt defensively. I tried to take defensive longevity into consideration in these rankings and Wilt in particular didn't peak until the 2nd half of his career on that end, even then there are some things I question about that time frame.

- Lakers didn't see much improvement on the defensive end when they added him in 1969.
- Lakers had a top 4 defense in 1970 with Wilt only playing 12 games that season
- Lakers had an average defense in 1971 with Wilt playing 82 games

Just some inconsistencies that make me question if he deserves top 10.

Someone like Dwight Howard at his defensive peak was leading a below average cast defensively to a top 1-3 on defense for 3 straight years.

Even when Wilt left Warriors to Philly in the middle of 1965, it didn't seem Philly improved their defense nor Warriors defense got worse that season. You'd think a defensive monster with 10+ blocks a game playing 44+ minutes a game would improve defense.

Such strange case.

[John8204]

To make the John Stockton argument...why do blocks count more than steals? If you are getting possessions through turnovers that is successful defense.

[1987_Lakers]

Russell
Wilt
Hakeem
Wallace
Mutombo
Duncan
Robinson
Dwight
Thurmond
Garnett

Right below
Rodman
Zo
Giannis
Draymond
Ewing

Didn't do any wings/guards

Wilt at #2 is insane.

Even when Wilt left Warriors to Philly in the middle of 1965, it didn't seem Philly improved their defense nor Warriors defense got worse that season. You'd think a defensive monster with 10+ blocks a game playing 44+ minutes a game would improve defense.

Such strange case.

Strange case indeed.

1965

Warriors full season: 87.7 ORtg, 92.8 DRtg
Warriors with Wilt: 90.3 ORtg, 94.4 DRtg
Warriors without Wilt: 86.2 ORtg, 92.3 DRtg

Sixers full season: 94.1 ORtg, 94.2 DRtg
Sixers with Wilt: 94.7 ORtg, 94.5 DRtg
Sixers without Wilt: 93.5 ORtg, 93.9 DRtg

I really don't understand it, Wilt made both teams worse on defense

To me, the only years where it seemed Wilt played some ATG defense was in '67, '68, '72, & '73.

[L.Kizzle]

Wilt at number two insane how?
If they kept blocked shots as a stat, he'd easily be number 1 plus he's number one in rebounds by a wide margin.

He's also number 5 in defense win shares. Do with that information what you'd like.