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#3 Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo was drafted in the 1991 NBA Draft and wasted no time in asserting his dominance, becoming one of the few rookies in NBA history that featured in an All-Star game. He is known for wagging his finger after every successful block.
Mutombo was a force in the paint, ferociously swapping away as many balls as he could reach. He owned the paint every time he was on the court, regardless of who was on the opposition team.
In his 18-year career, he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times and was selected for the NBA All-Defensive team, seven times. He was also the block leader for back-to-back seasons from 1994-1996. In 2000 & 2001, he led the NBA in rebounds.
#2 Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon was the 1st overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. His selection paid dividends for the Houston Rockets as he helped them win two championships. It could be argued that he should be No. 1 on this list, and there will not be any pushback. However, he is not the most prolific defender in NBA history.
Olajuwon had an edge over most big men in the NBA. He possessed a unique combination of strength, athleticism, and speed that helped his game on both ends of the court. Shaquille O'Neal, one of the league's best offensive players, was completely shut down in the 1995 NBA Finals by Olajuwon.
The Dream led the NBA in blocks and rebounds in 1990. He was the NBA rebounding leader on two occasions and was also the league's block leader three times in his career.
Olajuwon won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 1993 and 1994. He was selected for nine NBA All-defensive teams, five of which were first-team selections.
#1 Bill Russell
When Bill Russell played, the NBA did not start to record statistics like steals and blocks. That suggests that we might not know to what extent how great Bill Russell is. Regardless, he remains the best defensive player in NBA history.
Russell significantly slowed down the great Wilt Chamberlain, which goes to show much of the elite defender he was. His athleticism, speed, and high basketball IQ are the factors that set him apart from every other great defender in the league's history.
He was a legendary center who understood the fundamentals of the game to a ridiculously high degree. Russell was successful in blocking a shot without fouling the player and making an upfield pass to lead to a fastbreak.
The NBA did not start giving Defensive Player of the Year awards until 1982, but he made an All-Defensive First Team, which was at the tail-end of his career.
Regardless, he was the NBA rebounding champion four times, won the regular season MVP award five times, and was an eleven-time NBA champion.
Guess the Lakers players!
