The NBA revealed three finalists for 2023-24 Defensive Player of the Year back in April. And on Tuesday, Rudy Gobert was named the winner of the honor for the fourth time in his career.
Gobert, Victor Wembanyama and Bam Adebayo made up the list of final candidates. Conspicuously absent, of course, was Anthony Davis, the anchor of perhaps the league’s highest-profile franchise.
Davis, after the nominees were announced, wasn’t shy about his omission with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin:
“I’ll never get [the award]. They’re not giving it to me. The league doesn’t like me. I’m the best defensive player in the league. I can switch 1 through 5. I can guard the pick-and-roll the best in the league, from a big standpoint. I block shots. I rebound.
“I don’t know what else to do. I’m over it. I’m just going to do what I got to do to help the team win and try to play for a championship. Accolades and individual awards, I’m done with those.”
