As the Golden State Warriors cobbled together a playoff-caliber team last season, one of the most important pieces, predictably, was the continuously staunch and versatile defense of veteran forward Draymond Green, who played at both the four and the five-spot for a team that desperately needed his services.
Yet, despite his admirable performance at his age in both the regular season and the playoffs, rising star Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers took home the Defensive Player of the Year award, and, now, the return of a healthy Victor Wembanyama could mean that the prize has already been claimed for years to come.