In 2022-23, it seems that the average NBA fan has become overly enamored with the offensive side of basketball. It isn’t their fault. The league has pushed rules to be in favor of offense and ushered in the three-point era for quite some time now. It should be stated that there also isn’t anything wrong with being enamored with offense, especially when one considers the amount of extremely talented scorers, playmakers, and passers is as vast as it has ever been. That being said, long gone are the days when we would celebrate the lockdown defensive specialists and two-way role players who are essential to success. At least to more of an extent than we already do. Yesterday, the NBA released their All-Defensive First and Second Team honors which are as good as it gets for many of these players earning their first career selection.
This all changes today. Below, you will see a comprehensive ranking of the top 25 defenders in the NBA by tiers. Now, you have seen us rank the best passers and scorers for 2022-23 in this format before. Today will be all about the most disruptive defensive players in the NBA, which will include what we have seen so far in the NBA playoffs. Remember, defense is all about what you value in a defender. These days, perimeter defense is a heck of a lot more important than it was 30 years ago, considering how the game continues to move further away from the basket with every passing season. Interior defense always has and will always be number one, but it isn’t as far apart as it used to be. Yesterday, the NBA announced their All-Defensive First and Second Teams. All members of those teams will be included on these tiers with many players earning the first All-Defensive Team selection of their careers.
These are the best defenders in the NBA in 2022-23, ranked by tiers.
Tier 5 Andrew Wiggins, Al Horford, Dillon Brooks, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown
It is kind of difficult to put a valuation on a player who missed most of the regular season unless that player comes back and makes an impact in the playoffs that same year. Andrew Wiggins has done just that in the 2022-23 NBA playoffs for the Warriors, taking on the toughest defensive assignments opponents have had to offer. He is averaging 0.8 SPG and 1.4 BPG so far these playoffs while playing tremendous individual and team defense.
Al Horford is one of the less celebrated defenders on the Boston Celtics, but do not tell that to Joel Embiid. In 2022-23, Horford held down the interior while his frontcourt partner Robert Williams III was rehabbed from injury. He averaged 0.5 SPG and 1.0 BPG during the regular season, but that was far from his best defensive contributions so far. Horford had 5 blocks in a Game 4 loss to the Sixers this past weekend and helped Joel Embiid to minimal impact in the fourth quarter/overtime. He has recorded 10 blocks and 5 steals in 4 games against the Sixers in the second round, with the series heading into a crucial Game 5.
The memes and jokes about Dillon Brooks and his inability to shut his mouth at times have been hilarious over the last two weeks. Still, Brooks was one of the more impactful defenders in basketball this season and just earned an All-Defensive Second Team selection. In the playoffs, Brooks struggled mightily against LeBron James, which resulted in a quick first-round exit for the Memphis Grizzlies. The sentiment seems to be that Brooks will be headed to the CBL this offseason as a free agent. I am willing to bet at least one NBA team gives him a shot.
The next two players are the best on-court duo in the NBA. Their defensive efforts and the way they play off each other is a big reason why. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are definitely two players who are celebrated more for their offensive efforts than defensive ones. Tatum has been a quietly good defender, not getting into too much foul trouble despite playing a physical brand of defense against bigger forwards and guards. He is averaging 0.8 SPG and 1.4 BPG in the playoffs, contributing some great off-ball plays as well.
Jaylen Brown is probably the better defender of the pair, both on and off the ball. His lateral movement and quickness have been key to frustrating James Harden in their series against the Sixers, and it has worked well for two of the four games so far. Brown is also doing a good job of switching onto smaller and faster guards like Tyrese Maxey and the way he played Dejounte Murray in their first-round win over the Hawks.
Tier 4Nic Claxton, Jarred Vanderbilt, Robert Williams III, Jarrett Allen, Walker Kessler, Derrick White
As a defender, Nic Claxton had a breakout season in 2022-23 with the Brooklyn Nets. Claxton finished second in the NBA in total blocks with 189 and second in blocks per game with 2.5 BPG. His defensive instincts and rim protection took a tremendous leap forward, and even in the absence of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, the Nets feel good moving into the future with him as their starting center.
After starting the season in Minnesota, Jarred Vanderbilt wasn’t getting nearly the attention that he is now with the Lakers. Aside from Anthony Davis, Vanderbilt has been the Lakers’ best all-around defender since being acquired by L.A. at the trade deadline. Vanderbilt has taken on the toughest assignments for the Lakers during their playoff run this year as well. He is averaging 0.8 SPG and 1.1 BPG in 10 playoff games, but his impact goes far beyond what any numbers would measure.
Since coming into the league in 2018-19, Robert Williams has been one of the best interior defenders in basketball. His rebounding and rim protection are his best defensive assets, as is his willingness to put his body on the line to make a play. Injuries have been a concern with Williams over the past few seasons, but he has undoubtedly been the anchor of Boston’s defense. In the 2022-23 playoffs, Williams is averaging 0.7 SPG and 1.5 BPG as the Celtics look to advance to their second straight Eastern Conference Finals.
As far as defensive rating goes, Jarrett Allen finished second in the NBA this season, right behind Giannis Antetokounmpo. Allen has been the perfect complement to frontcourt teammate Evan Mobley over the last two seasons and a nightmare for opponents to fight within the paint. His size and athleticism make him one of the very best rim protectors in the game. In 2022-23, Allen averaged 1.2 BPG and a total of 84 blocks, both of which rank Top 20 in the NBA in 2022-23.
The final member of Tier 4 is a rookie who was easily the most impactful rookie on the defensive side of the ball, Walker Kessler. Acquired via trade with the Timberwolves for Rudy Gobert, Kessler shocked fans around the NBA with how quickly he adapted to playing defense at a much higher pace. Kessler was monumentally important for the Jazz this season, averaging 2.3 BPG and recording 179 total blocks which both rank fourth in the entire league.
Derrick White just had one of the most impressive seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics. In 2022-23, White suffered from a ruptured eardrum which made his play and accolades a lot more impressive. White just earned his first All-Defensive Team honor by making it to the Second Team. White played tremendously on the perimeter this season becoming one of the more disruptive members of the Boston perimeter schemes.
Tier 3Rudy Gobert, OG Anunoby, Jrue Holiday, Alex Caruso, Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, Marcus Smart
Rudy Gobert is no longer the three-time Defensive Player of the Year that he was just a few seasons ago, or at least he wasn’t in 2022-23. To deny that he is still one of the best interior defenders in the NBA still is to be, well, willfully ignorant. Gobert still ranks top 15 in both total blocks and blocks per game despite his defensive production taking a bit of a dip this season. He can still be an interior force but will it be he or Karl-Anthony Towns that gets the boot in Minnesota?
For most of the 2022-23 season, OG Anunoby was in the running for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Anunoby led the NBA in steals in 2022-23 for the Toronto Raptors, averaging 1.9 SPG, and led the NBA with 128 total steals. Anunoby was one of the league’s most sought-after talents at this year’s trade deadline and with the rebuild coming in Toronto, it looks like one team will eventually gain one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball.
For the past few seasons, we have all anointed Jrue Holiday as the best perimeter defender and defensive point guard in the NBA. In 2022-23, Holiday became an All-Star for the first time in 10 seasons as he averaged 1.2 SPG and 0.4 BPG. Holiday is also one of the best pick-and-roll defenders in the league at the moment, disrupting possessions on a regular basis with his swarming effort at all times. The only reason he has been knocked down on this list is due to the thrashing Jimmy Butler just gave him during the NBA playoffs. I couldn’t watch that unfold on live television and bring myself to rank him any higher than Tier 3.
Alex Caruso is another underrated point guard who just earned his first All-Defensive First Team honor. Caruso has been almost like a folk hero since joining the NBA back in 2017, and the legend has only grown since. On the court, Caruso showed why coaches and teammates love him to death. He gives one hundred percent effort on every single play and isn’t afraid to put his body on the line for the betterment of the team. He never takes possessions off and sets the tone from the opening whistle for Chicago every single night that he is out on the court.
The 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid has been celebrated and praised for his offensive output over the last few seasons, as he should be. In 2022-23, he won his second consecutive scoring title averaging over 31.0 PPG, but he also made an enormous impact on the defensive end as well. Embiid recorded 112 total blocks and 1.7 BPG along with 1.0 SPG this season, ranking top 10 in most defensive categories. If you think the MVP vote was all about his offense or a sympathy vote, I suggest going back and watching just how much Embiid meant to the Sixers’ defense this season.
When it comes to versatility on defense this season, there are only a few guys that come to mind. The first player that pops into my head is Bam Adebayo and what he has meant to the spectacular run the Miami Heat have been on in the postseason. Adebayo is strong and big enough to handle the frontcourt while being laterally quick enough and uses his length to slow down small but faster guards. In 2022-23, he averaged 1.2 SPG and 0.8 BPG and has kept those same numbers going with Miami within one game of yet another Eastern Conference Finals.
The final member of Tier 3 is none other than the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Marcus Smart is still as talented as ever on that side of the ball but struggled a bit for most of the 2022-23 season. When I say struggle, to Marcus Smart, that is still better than 99.0% of the defense coming from today’s point guards. He’s tough, strong, quick, and as intelligent as anyone when it comes to reading plays and forcing mistakes. If the Celtics are to get back to the NBA Finals, Smart’s defense will be a key reason that it happens.
Tier 2Jaren Jackson Jr., Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Evan Mobley, Brook Lopez
Every member of Tier 2 on our list of the best defenders in 2022-23 is the elite of the elite frontcourt players at this current time. Let us start things off with the 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr. In 2022-23, Jackson led the NBA in blocks with 3.0 BPG and was tied for second with 189 total blocks. The only weakness in Jackson’s defensive game is that he takes too many chances and commits too many fouls, but that is easily fixable with maturity and hard work. At just 23 years old, Jackson is set to be one of the premier interior defenders in basketball for quite some time.
I really do not care how anybody feels about Draymond Green or what he says into a microphone, the man can flat-out play the game of basketball. Green is one of the most versatile defenders that the NBA has ever seen and has no issues stepping up to take on any opponent that he needs to. It doesn’t matter if it is Anthony Davis or Kevin Durant, or even Jrue Holiday, Green is going to give it his very best to slow an opposing team down by any means necessary. Sometimes, that can be a curse. Anyway, Green gets the nod at Tier 2 not just for his past and what he brings to the table individually but also for his guidance and leadership for the younger defenders on his team.
The fact that Jimmy Butler is one of the best two-way players in basketball is probably one of the NBA’s worst-kept secrets. Butler is a menace during the regular season, that point cannot be disputed. However, his play in the postseason goes to a completely different level that some would even say mirrors the great Michael Jordan. Butler had an average regular season that saw him average 1.8 SPG and 0.3 BPG. He has kept that level of intensity on defense in the playoffs as well, with 1.6 SPG and 0.8 BPG leading Miami to within a game of their second straight Eastern Conference Finals and third in four years.
Apparently, Giannis Antetokounmpo thinks it is a bit disrespectful to be left off an All-Defensive Team, and he is right to believe so. Giannis led all NBA players in defensive field goal percentage at the time this season while leading the NBA in defensive rating as well. Giannis’ defensive numbers were not nearly as appealing as they had been in years past, but that didn’t mean a thing for the Bucks’ defense. Giannis was snubbed from this year’s All-Defensive Team honors, begging me to wonder if he is going to come back for another run at Defensive Player of the Year.
The next two players on our list are the second and third-place finishers for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year award. Let’s start with Brook Lopez, who has a case to be called the Milwaukee Bucks’ best defender, even with Giannis on the floor after a spectacular 2023 season. Lopez could have easily been the choice for the Defensive Player of the Year after completely reforming his game to focus on outside shooting and interior defense. Lopez averaged 2.5 BPG this season which was second to only Jaren Jackson Jr. in the NBA.
The final member of Tier 2 is second-year forward and third-place finisher in the Defensive Player of the Year voting, Evan Mobley. For the Cavaliers in 2022-23, Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland received most of the praise for their great season that saw them earn the number four seed in the East. As previously mentioned, that tends to be the case for offensive players. The truth is, the Cavaliers do not see the playoffs without the defensive output of Evan Mobley. He was the anchor that held their entire defense together, and the Cavaliers continue to get better as Mobley evolves as a complete player.
Tier 1Anthony Davis
I realize that this pick may be a little controversial due to his injury history and inconsistencies. I have to ask, if you dispute us ranking Anthony Davis at number one, have you been watching the playoffs? In six games against the Grizzlies in the first round, Davis averaged 4.3 BPG or 26 total blocks to help lead them to an upset win over Memphis. In the second round against the Warriors so far, he has been just as dominant with 1.8 SPG and 2.8 BPG over the course of four games played so far. Davis may not be consistent or even the healthiest, but when on the court, he is the best defender in the NBA, and it hasn’t been close.
