The NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds are live for the upcoming 2021-22 season after Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert took home his third DPOY trophy earlier this year.
Gobert again leads the preseason DPOY odds. His fourth win would tie him with Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo as the most decorated defenders in the award's 40-year history.
Let's take a look at the full board and see who stands below Gobert's ominous wingspan with the best NBA DPOY odds.
Odds to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year
| Player | Odds to win DPOY |
|---|---|
| Rudy Gobert | +340 |
| Ben Simmons | +350 |
| Anthony Davis | +700 |
| Myles Turner | +700 |
| Joel Embiid | +900 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +1,000 |
| Bam Adebayo | +1,400 |
| Matisse Thybulle | +2,000 |
| Draymond Green | +2,000 |
| Jrue Holiday | +2,000 |
| Clint Capela | +3,500 |
| Mitchell Robinson | +3,500 |
| Paul George | +3,500 |
| Marcus Smart | +4,000 |
| Deandre Ayton | +4,000 |
| Dejounte Murray | +5,000 |
| Jimmy Butler | +5,000 |
| Jarrett Allen | +5,000 |
| Luguentz Dort | +5,500 |
| Karl-Anthony Towns | +6,000 |
| Jonathan Isaac | +6,000 |
Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook as of October 16, 2021.
Favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Rudy Gobert is yet again the favorite atop the DPOY odds board, currently paying out +340 to capture the trophy for a record-tying fourth season. The Stifle Tower was an absolute menace protecting the paint in 2020-21 for the NBA's third-best defense. Gobert finished second in blocked shots, leading the league in defensive rebounds as well as a litany of advanced defensive metrics, including DRPM (by a completely ridiculous margin). He captured 84 of the 100 first-place votes, winning in a landslide.
Sitting right on Gobert's tail at +350 odds is Ben Simmons, who is technically still a Philadelphia 76er, but whose offseason saga has prompted its own betting market on where he'll play next.
No matter where he suits up, Simmons is arguably the NBA's premier perimeter lockdown artist, and has the size and lateral quickness to capably defend all five positions. His versatility makes him a huge asset in a wide variety of lineups, and in this race, he may also benefit from voter fatigue with Gobert having won DPOY in three of the past four seasons.
Third on the odds board is Lakers forward Anthony Davis (+700), who contends for this award in any season he's healthy, but can't seem to break through in the minds of voters, finishing in the Top 3 of DPOY voting three times without a win. After injuries marred his 2020-21 season, he'll be looking to re-assert himself among the best players in the NBA. And with his usage rate sure to take a hit with Russell Westbrook's arrival, The Brow may have even more energy to channel on defense.
Tied with Davis at +700 is Pacers center Myles Turner, who led the league in blocks by a significant margin last year (3.4 to Gobert's second-place 2.7). Turner has slowly evolved into an elite rim protector as his awareness and positioning have caught up with his athleticism and defensive motor. At 25, he may still have upside to yield on that end as his experience and confidence grow.
And rounding out the Top 5 is Simmons' soon-to-be-ex teammate Joel Embiid (+900), a two-way beast of a center who can be the league's biggest game-changer on D when fully engaged. But unlike most players on this board, Embiid is relied upon heavily to shoulder his team's scoring load almost night-to-night and is probably focusing on his odds to win MVP after last year's runner-up finish.
Understanding NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. We'll use 2019-20's Rookie of the Year race as an example:
As the season progressed, with Ja Morant having been a huge favorite, his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number:
- Ja Morant -500
This means that a bettor needs to wager $500 to win $100. Other candidates with worse odds would have a plus (+) sign ahead of the number. Early in the season, before any clear favorite is established, betting options will be listed as such:
- Zion Williamson +650
Here, a bettor stands to profit $650 for every $100 wagered.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year history
| Year | NBA DPOY winner |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| 2018-19 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2017-18 | Rudy Gobert |
| 2016-17 | Draymond Green |
| 2015-16 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2014-15 | Kawhi Leonard |
| 2013-14 | Joakim Noah |
| 2012-13 | Marc Gasol |
| 2011-12 | Tyson Chandler |
| 2010-11 | Dwight Howard |
| 2009-10 | Dwight Howard |
| 2008-09 | Dwight Howard |
| 2007-08 | Kevin Garnett |
| 2006-07 | Marcus Camby |
| 2005-06 | Ben Wallace |
| 2004-05 | Ben Wallace |
| 2003-04 | Ron Artest |
| 2002-03 | Ben Wallace |
| 2001-02 | Ben Wallace |
| 2000-01 | Dikembe Mutombo |
Where can I bet on NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds?
You may have to shop around for NBA futures odds on who will win Defensive Player of the Year. As a bit more of a niche market, it may not be offered by all sportsbooks. Check out our best sportsbooks available for the most trusted books in your area.
