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2022-23 NBA Awards Media Poll: Defensive Player of the Year

Fastbreak on FanNation polled 20 different NBA media members from around the country following the conclusion of the 2022-23 NBA regular season. Here are the results of the voting for who the media believes will win the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

Brett Siegel

2022-23 NBA Awards Media Poll: Defensive Player of the Year
2022-23 NBA Awards Media Poll: Defensive Player of the Year /

Over the last few weeks, the NBA awards have been a hot topic of discussion around the NBA world.

The three finalists for each award were announced on Friday, but Fastbreak on FanNation has collected data from NBA media members around the country covering both the league at-large and individual teams.

These media members were asked to vote on their Top-3 for Defensive Player of the Year this season with the voting process working as follows:

  • 5 points for every first-place vote
  • 3 points for every second-place vote
  • 1 points for every third-place vote

Below are the results from the voting that took place for the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award at the conclusion of the regular season:

Official results from Fastbreak on FanNation’s NBA Media Awards Polling 2022-23 - DPOY

Media Members Pick To Win 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year:

Jaren Jackson Jr. - Memphis Grizzlies

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While he did not receive all 20 first-place votes for Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr. accumulated 78 out of 100 total points in the voting process.

The Memphis Grizzlies ranked second in the league in defensive rating this season and Jackson Jr. had a lot to do with that, as he led the league in blocks per game (3.0). Jackson was also recently named one of the three finalists for the award by the NBA.

A true impact defender both on- and off-the-ball, Jaren Jackson Jr. has turned himself into someone that can deny opponents the opportunity to drive to the rim and his length impacts almost every shot attempt coming near his basket.

He may have only played in 63 games this season, but Jaren Jackson Jr. proved to be the best rim-protector in the league this season and was the best defensive player on arguably the best defensive team in the entire league.

Brook Lopez and Evan Mobley, the two other finalists for Defensive Player of the Year, finished second and third in the mock voting, respectively.

Both Lopez and Mobley proved to be elite-level shot-blockers as well this season, as Lopez led the league in total blocks and (193) and Mobley led the league in defensive win shares (4.8).

Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only other player to receive multiple votes for the award, as Draymond Green, Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, Jrue Holiday and Nic Claxton all received a single vote. 

Complete voting results from 2022-23 NBA Media Poll:

Published
Brett Siegel
BRETT SIEGEL

Brett Siegel worked with Fastbreak on FanNation until May 2023 as a credentialed NBA journalist after previously covering the NBA for NBA Analysis Network and working with Louisville Basketball. Be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrettSiegelNBA.

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