Matisse Thybulle may very well be the best defender in this draft. He was named the 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year, the annual college basketball award given to the nation’s best defender.
The way he disrupts passing lanes, hounds ball handlers and negates pick-and-roll execution is truly remarkable. He has incredibly quick feet and instincts, qualities that should translate to the next level. The 22-year-old, who was born in Scottsdale, Arizona, became the Pac-12’s all-time leader in steals, passing Gary Payton. He’s also a really good shot blocker at his position, averaging 2.2 rejections this past season.