Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, Thunder’s Chet Holmgren headline 2025-26 NBA All-Defensive First Team

San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, this season’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year, fittingly spearheads the 2025-26 NBA All-Defensive First Team, which the league announced Friday night. That group also features another Western Conference finals standout, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Chet Holmgren.

Before facing off in this year’s playoffs, Wembanyama and Holmgren clocked out first and third, respectively, in blocks league-wide. Receiving all 100 first-place votes, the otherworldly Wembanyama won DPOY unanimously — he’s the first player in NBA history to do so — but Holmgren came in second, albeit in a distant but still notable runner-up finish.

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Those 7-footers are accompanied by fellow DPOY finalist, Detroit Pistons wing Ausar Thompson, on the All-Defensive First Team. That unit includes Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert and Boston Celtics guard Derrick White as well.

The league’s All-Defensive Second Team consists of Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, Thunder guard Cason Wallace, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, and Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels.

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Full voting breakdown can be found here:

The NBA also awarded the Social Justice Champion award, which was given to Adebayo, as announced by inaugural award winner Carmelo Anthony.

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Here’s a refresher of what the league’s top-three defensive players, at least in terms of DPOY voting, accomplished this season:

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs center

Wembanyama’s defensive prowess is well-documented. He’s led the league in blocks three years in a row and averaged 3.1 rejections per game this time around. The 22-year-old is the best rim protector in the game. A wall in the paint, Wembanyama does an admirable job avoiding foul trouble. In fact, he fouled out only twice during the regular season. Even though the Spurs have a capable backup at the five in Luke Kornet, Wembanyama’s on-off numbers still sparkle. The French native made the All-Defensive First Team as a rookie, and now…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/breaking-news/article/spurs-victor-wembanyama-thunders-chet-holmgren-headline-2025-26-nba-all-defensive-first-team-234146493.html

Author : Andy Backstrom

Publish date : 2026-05-22 23:41:00

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