Rudy Gobert Receives 2023-24 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
Rudy Gobert is now the third player in NBA history to claim the award four times, along with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. Kenny Smith announces live on Inside the NBA that Rudy Gobert has won his fourth Kia Defensive Player of the Year award for the 2023-24 season.
Rudy Gobert, the center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, was named the 2023-24 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, winning the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy. This announcement was made on TNT on Tuesday.
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/SpApbyUUw2
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 7, 2024
Gobert is now the third player ever in NBA history to win the award four times, along with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. The Wolves center has previously won the titles in 2020-21, 2018-19, and 2017-18.
The first player in Timberwolves’ history to win Defensive Player of the Year honors is a French native.
Under Gobert’s leadership, the Timberwolves posted the top defensive rating, gave up the fewest points per game, and limited opponents to the lowest field goal percentage in the NBA. The second-best record in franchise history was achieved by Minnesota (56-26) with the help of their highly-ranked defense, securing the No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference.
During this season, Gobert scored 14.0 points with an accuracy of 66.1%, grabbed 12.9 rebounds, and blocked 2.13 shots per game, leading the team in both categories. His average of 2.13 blocks per game in the current season is the highest he has achieved since the 2020-21 season when he had an average of 2.68 blocks per game.
He was second in the NBA for rebounding with 12.9 rebounds per game, second in field goal percentage at .661, second in offensive rebounds with 3.8 per game, fourth in defensive rebounds with 9.2 per game, sixth in blocks averaging 2.13 per game, and fifth in double-doubles with 54.
Gobert was the recipient of 72 first-place votes. Below are the full voting outcomes for the 2023-24 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year accolade:
