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As the season’s final awards approach and the race for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year heats up—especially following Victor Wembanyama’s withdrawal—O.G. Anunoby has stepped forward, declaring himself a serious contender.
“There isn’t a statistic for recognizing when someone makes a dribble to set up a pass or for shot attempts,” the 27-year-old British guard/forward for the New York Knicks stated to reporters ahead of an NBA Saturday match against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena.
“They tend to give the award to the big players,” he continued, alluding to how centers typically dominate the voting and the list of DPOY recipients.
In 2019, Anunoby, originally from London, secured an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. His defensive efforts during that season and throughout his career with both the Raptors and Knicks often go unnoticed. As of now, his accolades for the season have only earned him a spot on the 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
“I believe I should be on the First Team All-Defense. I truly think I deserve to win Defensive Player of the Year,” he asserted, adding, “It’s a belief I’ve always held.”
Combining stellar defense with exceptional offense, Anunoby averaged 27.5 points per game over his last eight matches, assisting Tom Thibodeau’s team in thriving despite Jalen Brunson’s absence, thereby improving their record to 48-28 for the 2024-25 Regular Season and securing a place in the 2025 Playoffs presented by Google.
Drafted by the Raptors out of Indiana in 2017, he spent six years in Toronto before being traded to New York in 2023.
