Spurs' Leonard named Defensive Player of the Year
The NBA's top defensive team owns the league's top defensive player.
San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was named the 2015-16 NBA Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season on Monday.
Leonard earned 84 of 130 first-place votes to edge Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors, who came in second with 44 first-place votes. Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside finished third with two first-place votes.
| Votes | Leonard | Green | Whiteside |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Place | 84 | 44 | 2 |
| 2nd Place | 41 | 62 | 12 |
| 3rd Place | 4 | 15 | 37 |
The Spurs won a franchise-best 67 games this season and led the league in both points allowed and defensive rating. Leonard played an integral role in the team's success. San Antonio posted a 94.9 defensive rating with him on the floor, and 99.2 with him on the bench.
The 24-year-old averaged 5.5 defensive rebounds, 1.8 steals, and one block per game, in addition to a career-high 21.2 points and 2.6 assists. He was also named to the Western Conference All-Star team for the first time in his five-year career.
With the win, Leonard becomes the first back-to-back winner since Dwight Howard won three straight from 2008-2011, and first non-center to win two straight awards since Dennis Rodman.
Since 2014, the former 15th overall pick has won an NBA title, was named Finals MVP, won two Defensive Player of the Year awards, and was named an All-Star.