If you’ve watched a Raptors 905 game this season: was it even a question? Walter ‘Edy’ Tavares has been named the D-League’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2016-17 season, which was voted on by the league’s 22 head coaches.
Tavares was an absolute force on the defensive end, stabilizing the 905’s defense that held opponents to 98.0 points per game, a league-wide low. When Tavares was on the court, the 905 allowed a mere 94.5 points per 100 possessions. On top of that, Tavares averaged an incredible 2.7 blocks per game which was good for the league lead.