Nobody blocked more shots per game, nor had better defensive numbers at the rim this season, than Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr.
And voters noticed.
The Memphis big man was announced Monday night as the recipient of the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy as the 2022-23 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the second player to win the award while wearing a Grizzlies’ uniform. He joins Marc Gasol in that club, after the Spaniard did it a decade ago.
Jackson led the league with 3.0 blocks per game this season, after finishing fifth in the defensive player of the year voting last season. He got 56 first-place votes and 391 voting points to finish ahead of runner-up Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks, who got 31 first-place votes and 309 points. Cleveland’s Evan Mobley — in just his second NBA season — was third with eight first-place votes and 101 points.
VOTING RESULTS
THE HAKEEM OLAJUWON TROPHY
Awarded to the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Defensive dominance helped define Hakeem Olajuwon’s Hall of Fame career. A two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, Olajuwon is the league’s all-time leader in blocked shots and ranks ninth in steals. He is also a two-time NBA champion, 12-time NBA AllStar, league MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 12-time All-NBA Team selection and a member of the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams. The trophy features a player in a classic defensive stance with one hand up and one down, knees bent and ready to move.
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