Boston Celtics player Marcus Smart was named best defender of the season, preventing Frenchman Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz), who was among the three finalists, from adding a fourth trophy to his list, the NBA announced on Monday. Marcus Smart is the first point guard to receive the award since Gary Payton in 1996, when he played for the Seattle SuperSonics, and Boston’s second player after inside Kevin Garnett in 2008.
Smart has accumulated 257 points, awarded by a panel of 100 journalists from around the world. Winger Mikal Bridges (Phoenix) is second with 202 points, French pivot Rudy Gobert third with 136 points. This last, already winner of this trophy three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021, fails to join Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as the most awarded in history.