For the second straight season, San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard is the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Leonard, 24, received 84 of a possible 130 first-place votes, per an NBA release. He finished 126 points ahead of Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who earned 44 first-place votes. Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside finished in third place.
NBA TV also shared some of Leonard's remarks after he won the award:
Leonard is the first player to win consecutive DPOYs since Dwight Howard took home three straight from 2009 to 2011. He's the first non-center in a quarter-century (since Dennis Rodman in 1989-90 and 1990-91) to win two straight. Taken a step further, Leonard joins Sidney Moncrief as the only perimeter-oriented players to win back-to-back awards.
Hakeem Olajuwon and Leonard are the only two players in history with multiple DPOY awards and a Finals MVP.
"The guy is in the running for MVP and he's probably the best defensive player out of all of them," Spurs forward Boris Diaw said in February, per Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Ti ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Tyler Conway
Kawhi Leonard Named 2015-16 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
April 18th, 2016 by Tyler Conway Leave a reply »
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