Why Dyson Daniels Faces Uphill Battle for 2025 NBA Defensive Honors
NBA DPOY 2025 Odds
As we march toward the business end of another thrilling NBA season, the race for the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award is heating up faster than a courtside argument between Draymond Green and a rookie with something to prove. From perennial contenders to rising stars, the 2025 DPOY race is packed with familiar faces and a few surprise entrantsand yes, that includes Australia’s own Dyson Daniels… kind of.
Not Quite Dyson’s Time Yet
Let’s address the kangaroo in the room. As promising as Dyson Daniels is on the defensive endlong arms, active hands, high IQhe’s not going to win DPOY in 2025. He just won’t. And that’s not a knock on the Pelicans guard-forward hybrid. He’s been immense defensively this season for New Orleans, generating deflections like he’s on alphabet soup duty, but defensive excellence doesn’t always translate to DPOY-level recognition. Not yet, anyway.
For all of Daniels’ lateral quickness and ability to guard 1 through 4, the award tends to favor more dominant rim protectors or full-blown defensive anchors of playoff-bound squads. Think Rudy Gobert, not Gary Payton-lite. Daniels is tracking beautifullybut we’re a couple of years (and a playoff berth or two) away from seeing his name etched on that trophy.
The Usual Suspects Dominate the Top
Let’s talk odds. According to current betting markets and league insiders, the front runners for the 2025 DPOY are largely names we’ve come to expect:
- Draymond Green – Golden State’s defensive Swiss Army knife is always in the conversation when he’s not serving suspensions. His defensive mind is a full playbook in sneakers. But with availability issues and the Warriors struggling for consistency, will voters look elsewhere?
- Bam Adebayo – Miami’s big man makes switching on the perimeter look like a practice drill. He’s been close to claiming the hardware multiple times. This might be the year voters decide to reward his versatility with a trophy.
- Evan Mobley – As the Cavaliers’ defensive linchpin, Mobley continues to build a brand around being everywhere at once. He’s the overwhelming favorite right now for good reasonlength, instincts, youth, and Cleveland’s stingy defense make a compelling argument.
- Rudy Gobert – Yes, he’s back on the list. And no, this isn’t Groundhog Day. The big Frenchman is once again anchoring one of the most dominant defenses in the league at age 31. If voters go by traditional metrics and impact, he’ll be hard to ignore.
Dark Horses to Watch
Every awards race needs its underdogsand this field has a few quietly making noise beneath the headlines.
- Anthony Davis – When healthy, AD is a walking defensive clinic. But that’s the catch: health. With the Lakers managing his minutes and miles, he faces an uphill battle to lock down enough games to sway voters.
- Jaden McDaniels – The Minnesota Timberwolves wing has emerged as one of the most underrated defenders in the game. If they keep winning and his on-ball wizardry holds, don’t be surprised if analysts start pounding the table for his inclusion.
- OG Anunoby – In New York, OG has been exactly what the Knicks ordereda do-it-all wing stopper who embraces mismatches. He’s the kind of guy who will get votes, but whether there’s enough campaign fuel to drive him to the top remains to be seen.
The Defensive Metrics Catch-22
It’s one thing to be elite defensively. It’s another to stand out in a league increasingly dominated by offense-first rhetoric. Defensive analytics – from Defensive Box Plus/Minus to EPM and Defensive RAPTOR – suggest a deeper pool of candidates than the eye test often implies. But the reality is the award still comes down to storyline and status, not just stats.
Daniels, for instance, ranks high in deflections and steals per 36 minutes. His footwork is pristine, anticipation elite. But playing in a crowded Pelicans backcourt (with a healthy CJ McCollum and the emergence of Herb Jones) and without a top-tier defensive rating to support his case, he’s stuck in that awkward in-between: good enough to disrupt games, not big enough to throw the analytics into chaos.
Voter Fatigue Is Real
No voter wants to hand Rudy Gobert a fourth DPOY just for showing up. No one wants to inflate Draymond’s legacy if the Warriors are hosting a Play-In party. There’s a craving for fresh meat, for someone new to wear the crown.
Enter Mobleyif Cleveland stays in the top-three defensively and he posts strong advanced numbers, it’s his award to lose. Bam wants it. OG is gunning for it. Daniels is peeking through the window, but the door hasn’t fully opened just yet.
What Daniels Needs to Do
For Dyson Daniels to make a legitimate run at the DPOY awardwhether in 2026 or beyondthe formula is clear:
- Start consistently. Logging meaningful minutes as a primary defender across multiple positions speaks volumes.
- Team success. Defensive awards rarely go to players on middle-of-the-pack squads. Being an elite defender on a top-5 defensive team is the ticket.
- Standout moments. A few marquee stops on national TV games go a long way. We live in a highlight culturevoters need to see it.
Final Whistle
As the 2025 DPOY race barrels into focus, it’s clear this isn’t Dyson Daniels’ yearbut his time will come. For now, the field is dominated by tenured titans like Draymond and Gobert, and rising behemoths like Mobley and Bam. Still, if you’re the type who favors long shots with upside, keeping an eye on Daniels might make you look smart two years down the road.
Just don’t bet the house on him this year. Not unless ‘deflections leader’ suddenly becomes an award of its own.