Ranking The BEST Defenders in the NBA Right Now…
- Joel Piton
- 7 days ago
- 7 min read
The NBA season is still young, but you don’t need a full 82-game sample to know who’s bringing real defensive heat. The metrics are already separating the pretenders from the threats. From rim protection and matchup data to deflections and on-ball pressure, the numbers don’t lie—certain players have come out firing with serious defensive ammo. Right now, these are the ten guys making life absolutely miserable for opposing offenses—from least to most impactful.
Rudy Gobert — MIN
Position: C Height: 7'1" DRTG: 112.9
2025-26 Stats: 10.9 PPG — 10.1 RPG — 1.8 BPG — 77.6 FG%
Even in his early thirties, Rudy Gobert is still climbing the ladder as one of the greatest defenders this league has ever seen. The All-Defensive nods keep stacking up, and so does his impact. Minnesota’s entire defensive identity is anchored around Gobert’s presence—his size, timing, and awareness still erase possessions before they start. At 7'1" with that ridiculous wingspan, Gobert doesn’t need the gaudy 2.7-block seasons anymore to control a game. He alters shots, walls off drives, and forces offenses to rethink entire game plans. Whether he’s shutting down the paint or steering ball-handlers into bad decisions, Gobert is still applying pressure at an elite level, keeping the Wolves firmly into playoff contention.
Alex Caruso — OKC
Position: SG Height: 6'5" DRTG: 99.4
2025-26 Stats: 6.4 PPG — 2.7 RPG — 2.3 APG — 2.1 SPG — 37.1 FG%
Two-time champion Alex Caruso continues to separate himself from nearly every other off-ball guard in the league. His offense may have shifted into the background, but his defensive engine never stops. Caruso guards virtually any position the Thunder throw at him — wings, guards, small bigs — and rarely loses an assignment. His timing, quick hands, and ability to create turnovers make him OKC’s most disruptive defender while Lu Dort gets healthy. Whether he’s jumping passing lanes, blowing up actions before they develop, or switching onto bigger scorers without hesitation, Caruso’s versatility keeps him firmly locked inside the league’s elite defensive tier.
Myles Turner — MIL
Position: C Height: 6'11" DRTG: 111.7
2025-26 Stats: 12.4 PPG — 6.3 RPG — 2.0 BPG — 1.3 SPG — 43.0 FG%
Myles Turner has finished at the top of the league in blocks more times than we can count, yet somehow still has zero All-Defensive selections. That feels overdue—and this season, Turner is playing like a man determined to rewrite that narrative. Sliding next to Giannis in the Bucks’ frontcourt has turned Milwaukee into a defensive nightmare; for all 29 other teams, getting anything clean at the rim is a chore. Turner’s 2.0 blocks per game put him among the league leaders again, but it’s the other layers of his defense that stand out. He’s jumping passing lanes, forcing steals, sliding onto smaller guards, and showing a versatility we rarely saw in Indiana. The shot blocking is still elite, but Turner’s overall defensive pressure is what’s making this version of him feel both new and impossible to ignore.
OG Anunoby — NYK
Position: SF Height: 6'7" DRTG: 108.6
2025-26 Stats: 17.1 PPG — 5.8 RPG — 2.4 APG — 2.1 SPG — 48.3 FG%
OG Anunoby has been a defensive problem for years, but in New York, he’s taken it to another level. Paired with Mikal Bridges, the Knicks boast one of the most aggressive, suffocating wing tandems in the league—a one-two punch built on length, strength, and relentless pressure. Anunoby’s blend of size, lateral quickness, and physicality makes even the league’s top scorers uncomfortable from the moment they cross half court. This season, that versatility has been fully on display: switching onto guards, bodying up wings, and swallowing driving lanes whole. With New York sitting second in the East, Anunoby’s defensive presence isn’t just a luxury—it’s a major reason the Knicks are winning at this level.
Marcus Smart — LAL
Position: PG Height: 6'3" DRTG: 111.3
2025-26 Stats: 9.9 PPG — 3.2 RPG — 2.2 APG — 2.2 SPG — 40.3 FG%
Marcus Smart is still settling into his offensive role in Los Angeles, but defensively? He’s doing exactly what he’s built his career on. Coming off the bench or stepping in for Luka at the point, Smart takes on the opposing team’s deadliest scorer and proceeds to give them a defensive beatdown. He’s tied for second in the league in steals at 2.2 per game, and the former Defensive Player of the Year is clearly playing with a chip on his shoulder to prove he’s far from done. Beyond the box score, Smart is posting one of the most impressive defensive ratings we’ve seen from a bench point guard in the last several seasons. His pressure, communication, and physicality keep the Lakers afloat on that end whenever their stars sit—and his ability to flip momentum with pure grit remains untouchable.
Derrick White — BOS
Position: SG Height: 6'4" DRTG: 111.6
2025-26 Stats: 15.5 PPG — 5.2 RPG — 3.7 APG — 1.8 SPG — 35.2 FG%
Derrick White’s offensive efficiency has been…let’s just say hard to find this season, and that hurts to admit. But defensively, he’s still one of the most reliable, intelligent, and versatile guards in the NBA. With Tatum sidelined, Boston’s defensive rating could’ve fallen off a cliff, yet White’s positioning, awareness, and constant activity have kept the Celtics steady on that end. His timing as a weak-side shot blocker, his ability to switch across multiple positions, and his consistency blowing up actions before they start give him a level of defensive artistry you don’t see in most combo guards. He may not be quite the defensive terror he was last year, but he’s still applying pressure every night—and giving Celtics fans a real reason to keep tuning in.
Amen Thompson — HOU
Position: SF Height: 6'7" DRTG: 115.3
2025-26 Stats: 17.6 PPG — 6.1 RPG — 5.6 APG — 1.4 SPG — 50.0 FG%
Hailed as a freak athlete from the moment he entered the league, Amen Thompson’s blend of quickness, aggression, and relentless motor makes him an absolute defensive nightmare. He’s one of the rare young players who can legitimately guard all five positions, sliding with guards on the perimeter one possession and protecting the rim the next. While his defensive intensity has dipped slightly as he adjusts to playing alongside his new Hall of Fame teammate, Thompson still leaves fingerprints all over every game. He’s handling the ball, rotating from the weak side, blowing up actions with anticipation, and chasing down fast breaks like they personally offended him. At just 22 years old, he’s already an All-Defensive First Team talent.
Evan Mobley — CLE
Position: C Height: 6'11" DRTG: 112.7
2025-26 Stats: 19.0 PPG — 8.7 RPG — 4.2 APG — 1.4 BPG — 1.4 SPG — 47.1 FG%
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley has taken his already elite defensive game to another level, almost like he’s on a mission to silence every critic still questioning his impact. Mobley is a two-way defensive nightmare, equally dangerous on the perimeter and in the paint. At 7'4" in wingspan, he doesn’t just block shots—he consumes them, disrupts passing lanes, and forces turnovers with the same ease most bigs contest layups.
His presence continues to be the backbone of Cleveland’s defensive identity. The Cavs’ numbers skyrocket with him on the court, keeping them at the top of the league in defensive rating often, and it’s no coincidence. Mobley won’t stuff the box score with five blocks a night, but his impact is everywhere: deterrence, rotations, switches, help defense, and complete erasure of mistakes made around him. There’s a reason he won DPOY, Cleveland wouldn’t have sniffed the one-seed last season, and they wouldn’t look nearly as menacing this year either without him.
Dyson Daniels — ATL
Position: SG Height: 6'7" DRTG: 108.6
2025-26 Stats: 8.5 PPG — 5.6 RPG — 5.4 APG — 2.2 SPG — 44.9 FG%
The “Great Barrier Thief” continues to stuff defensive stat sheets this season, leading the league in steals at 2.3 per game while pairing it with one of the best defensive efficiency ratings among guards. Standing 6'7", Daniels is a matchup nightmare for smaller guards and an unusually long, disruptive presence at the point of attack. His “sniper” defense consists of timed swipes, precision steals, smart angles, and disruptive reads—making him a constant threat to blow up passing lanes or pick a ball-handler clean.
Daniels uses that length and strength to fight through screens, stay attached to scorers, and dictate where the offense can and can’t go. And while Atlanta doesn’t always maximize what he brings on that end, he still finds ways to tilt games defensively. At just 22 years old, it’s terrifying to imagine what he’ll look like in another year or two. He’s already elite, and he’s only getting sharper.
Victor Wembanyama — SAS
Position: C Height: 7'4" DRTG: 102.1
2025-26 Stats: 26.2 PPG — 13.0 RPG — 4.0 APG — 50.5 FG%
Boasting virtually the best defensive rating in the league, 7'4" alien Victor Wembanyama has crossed the barrier from elite defender to physics-breaking anomaly. His wingspan basically redraws the geometry of the court—shots from the free-throw line, floaters, corner threes… all of it suddenly looks like it’s within his strike zone. Averaging 3.6 blocks per game, Wemby is on pace for a shot-blocking season we haven’t seen since Hassan Whiteside in 2016.
His defensive impact goes far beyond the numbers. Wembanyama is already turning in historic performances with double-digit block games, completely erasing possessions without even having to jump. He’s still vulnerable to certain specialized coverages and physical mismatches, sure. But the fact that he’s already this dominant while still scratching the surface of his defensive potential should absolutely terrify the rest of the league.
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These rankings aren’t set in stone. In fact, they’ll almost certainly shift as the season unfolds. Roles change, teams adjust, players cool off or heat up. But right now, based on the production and numbers, these are the guys applying the most pressure in the league. On-ball clamps, off-ball instincts, chase-downs, pick-pockets, whatever the assignment is, they’ve been elite at it. How quickly will the league’s pace flip this list on its head? Only time will tell.
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Thanks for reading!
-Joel Piton
(@jpiton7)