With Chet Holmgren out of the running for end-of-season hardware due to a major hip injury, Victor Wembanyama has regained the top spot with the shortest odds at -185 at BetMGM for NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Here's a look at the updated betting odds and where Wembanyama and all other contenders for the Hakeem Olajuwon trophy currently sit.
2025 NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Odds
Odds as of November 15, 2024 at BetMGM
NBA Defensive Player of the year Favorite: Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (-185)
Wembanyama was at minus money in possession of a substantial lead prior to the start of the regular season, but Holmgren cut into it right away and took over as the odds leader as the Oklahoma City Thunder's defense dominating at an historic level.
Unfortunately, it looks like Holmgren is no longer a factor in these conversations as the 7-footer has been ruled out for the next few months with a right iliac wing fracture. That's plummeted Oklahoma City's defensive output in recent games, opening the door for Wembanyama to recapture his thrown once again.
The San Antonio Spurs have the 10th-best defense in the Association allowing 110.9 points per 100 possessions, with Wembanyama leading all players in blocks at 3.8 (a full block more than anyone else) while being one of three players (Anthony Davis and Brook Lopez) to average over one steal and two blocks.
NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Darkhorse: Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks (+1200)
Dyson Daniels was acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the package which moved Dejounte Murray, and as things stand, the Atlanta Hawks look like A+ winners for that acquisition considering the out-of-nowhere defensive contributions Daniels is offering.
The 21-year-old wing leads the NBA in steals at 3.6, and his 36 total steals are the most by a player through the first 10 games since Allen Iverson in 2003. His 76 total deflections are also the most by a player in such a stretch since the statistic was introduced.
Past 10 NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Winners
Of the past 10 winners of the Hakeem Olajuwon award, Rudy Gobert and Kawhi Leonard comprise 60 percent of those names, taking home six trophies between the two of them. They're also the only two players during this stretch to win in back-to-back years.
Who Has Won The Most NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Awards?
Only three players in history have won DPOY on four occasions, with Gobert joining that elite group this season. He and Dikembe Mutombo are the only players to win multiple times with different organizations.
NBA Teams With The Most Defensive Player Of The Year Awards
NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Winners By Position
The center position has completely and utterly dominated the DPOY picture since the award's inception with 30 total wins. Gary Payton and Marcus Smart are the only point guards to have won since DPOY was introduced in 1983.
NBA Teams With Zero Defensive Player Of The Year Winners
The following teams have never had an NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, and Washington Wizards.
How To Read NBA Defensive Player Of the Year Odds
When you visit your NBA betting site of choice, you’ll notice 2024-25 NBA MVP odds laid out like this:
- Victor Wembanyama -160
- Chet Holmgren +1200
It's like a moneyline bet where favorites are shown by the minus sign (-) and underdogs have a plus sign (+). In this scenario, Victor Wembanyama is favored. If you were to bet $100 on Wembanyama in the NBA DPOY betting odds and it hits, you would win $62.50 – your $100 is returned and you would get $62.50 in profit.
If you were to bet on which player will be named DPOY, you would make a futures bet.
What Is A Futures Bet?
This is a bet made on events that will happen in time. In this case, it’s DPOY. To make a futures bet, you would first use the handicapping info on this page to make your decision. Our Odds Calculator can give you an idea of how much you’d win based on the DPOY odds and the amount of money you bet.