Grizzlies forward, Defensive Player of the Year Jaren Jackson Jr. and Bucks guard Jrue Holiday make the 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive Team. Here’s what you need to know:
the athleteInstant Analysis:
Season snapshots of the First Team All-Defense players
- Jackson averaged 18.6 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season. The 23-year-old led the NBA with blocks per contest, up 0.5 from Brooklyn’s next closest Nick Claxton and Lopez. Jackson also led the league in edge protection, allowing opponents to shoot just 46.9 percent.
- Lopez, 35, previously played on the 2019-20 All-Defensive Team. He averaged 2.5 blocks per game this season, a career high, in his 15th season in the NBA. Lopez also averaged 15.9 points and 6.7 rebounds across 78 starts.
- The 21-year-old Mobley, who made the 2021-22 All-Rookie Team, has averaged 1.5 blocks in 79 games this season (all starts). The 2021 #3 draft averaged 16.2 points and 9.0 rebounds.
- Holiday, 32, now has five All-Defensive selections. The two-time All-Star averaged 19.3 points, 7.4 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game across 67 contests (65 starts) along with 1.2 steals this season.
- Caruso, 29, has averaged 5.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game this season.
What’s the biggest surprise?
2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart didn’t make either team, but his teammate, White, did. Most knowledgeable Celtics watchers will tell you that was the right call – White has been fantastic this year – but it’s still surprising to see the national vote go that way. Smart was only named on 23 ballots. – Hollinger
Who was the biggest snub?
It may have been Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels, a budding stopper who had a strong case for making the second team (at least) but was hurt by both a crowded progressive center and less national prominence than some of the other competitors who out-voted him, especially Anunubi and Toronto. Milwaukee Giannis Antikonmo. However, five different players made the All-Defense First Team, so voters were definitely skeptical. And speaking of Giannis… – Hollinger
The strangest result
Antetokounmpo was not made to the Second Team roster, despite having more voting points (60) than two players who made the team, Memphis’s Brooks (54) and Miami’s Adebayo (53). This was because the main Antetokounmpo site listed two attackers and four other attackers who received more votes. However, Brooks was listed as a guard (even though he had been Memphis’ starting junior all year) and Adebayo was listed as a center.
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(Photo: Peter Thomas/USA Today)
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