DEFENSIVE Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and fellow Frenchman and Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama anchor the NBA All-Defensive first team announced Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).
The Minnesota Timberwolves veteran and San Antonio Spurs newcomer were joined by Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Herbert Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Gobert, 31, was a unanimous selection, receiving first-team votes from all 99 ballots from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year made the first team for the seventh time after averaging 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 76 games (all starts).
Wembanyama, 20, is the first rookie ever to make the All-Defensive first team. Five others made the second team since the team’s inception in 1968-69: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969-70), Hakeem Olajuwon (1984-85), Manute Bol (1985-86), David Robinson (1989-90) and Tim Duncan (1997-98). Wembanyama led the NBA with 3.6 blocks per game.
