The 2025-26 season marks my third time ranking the top 100 defenders in the NBA. The goal for this list when I first started back in 2023 was to bring more attention to the defensive side of the ball, particularly to the good-not-great players that rarely get any recognition.

Much to my delight, that initial target has been hit. NBA defense has become more of a talking point in recent years. Other top defender lists have cropped up, which are excellent in their own right. Defensive breakdowns are growing on social media. Coaches openly discuss how rapidly defenses are evolving.

Despite that added attention, most fans’ understanding of NBA defense is still way behind offense. Basic statistics like blocks and steals don’t do a good job of capturing the best defenders. Defensive advanced metrics lag far beyond offensive ones. And schemes are far more complicated than they’re given credit for.

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Even with a great eye, evaluating defense is hard. Most people are trained to watch the ball and can identify good one-on-one defenders. It is much harder to see what game plan a team is trying to execute and how good a player is at following a coach’s instructions. And nobody’s eye is good enough to capture everything that every player is doing on defense.

Nobody’s list will be perfect, but that’s what makes this exercise fun. I’ll put mine against anyone’s — I love watching the defensive side of the ball and pay close attention to the whole league.

Here is my list of the top 100 defenders in the NBA, based on the overall impact that they have on a team’s defense. Part I of this story runs from No. 11 to No. 100. Part II will cover the top 10.

Top 100 defenders of 2023-24 | Top 100 defenders of 2024-25

The best defenders in the NBA: 11-100

Top 11-25 defenders

Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t have the Defensive Player of the Year impact of his early days. He has to conserve his energy with the role that he takes on offense. He’s still massively talented as a help defender though, covering a ton of ground and providing elite weak-side rim protection. He’s one of the best when he turns it on for the playoffs. 

Amen and Ausar Thompson are two of the only players who can approach Giannis’ athleticism. They’re awesome rebounders, disruptive at the point of attack, and can guard multiple positions. So can Herb Jones, who has done everything for the Pelicans defense. Aaron Gordon always takes the toughest assignments for the Nuggets, thriving in that role. 

Jalen Suggs, Kris Dunn, and Dillon Brooks are physical point-of-attack defenders who blow up opposing plays with their tenacity. Lu Dort falls into this class too. While he is among the best as a one-on-one stopper, he doesn’t have quite the same impact off the ball, falling behind those three. 

Jrue Holiday has slowed down a bit with age too. He is still one of the strongest pound-for-pound defenders and has played in all types of schemes, even quarterbacking the Celtics’ zone in the past, but he’s no longer a top 10 guy.  

Kawhi Leonard and Jonathan Isaac would both be higher if they could stay healthy for a full season. Isaac has great reflexes and tools, covering for mistakes with his weak side rim protection. Leonard can still be that lock down guy in big moments. 

Chet Holmgren was the best defender on one of the best defenses in NBA history. His teammates got the acclaim at the end-of-season awards because he didn’t play in enough games to qualify. But his rim protection, quick reflexes, and excellent technique helped the guards in front of him to play so aggressively.

Top 26-50 defenders

Several of these players have been recognized for their defense already. Matisse Thybulle, OG Anunoby, Jaden McDaniels, and Jalen Williams have made an All-Defensive team over the past few seasons for their ability to shut down at multiple positions. Derrick White can get overpowered by bigger players, but he’s elite on small scorers and the best shot-blocking guard in the league. Marcus Smart is in the same mold and is still a great defender despite a steep physical decline that has hampered his game. 

There are some more unfamiliar names that haven’t made All-Defensive yet. Deni Avdija has been a great wing defender for several seasons, using his strength and feel to win the toughest matchups. Tari Eason is an event-generating monster. Isaiah Stewart is one of the most switchable bigs in the league and absolutely needs more attention for how good he is defensively. Isaac Okoro is strong enough to guard up and nimble enough to get around screens. 

Cooper Flagg should be an excellent defender from Day 1 due to his extremely high feel and natural tools. He will move quickly up this list as he gains experience. He should one day be an All-Defensive player. 

Some of the best rim protectors reside in this range. Isaiah Hartenstein, Jarrett Allen, and Mitchell Robinson are smart defenders who are always in the right spots and contribute with their rebounding. Kristaps Porzingis, Walker Kessler, Dereck Lively, and Donovan Clingan are elite shot-blockers. Clingan will rise as he learns to foul less. Joel Embiid and Brook Lopez can’t move as well as they used to, but both are still tough to score over. 

Scottie Barnes has been a much better defender ever since being taken off quick guards. He’s a master at cutting off driving lanes and blowing up handoffs, carrying the Raptors defense. Dorian Finney-Smith was the linchpin of the Lakers’ mid-season defensive improvement, locking down all types of defenders. 

It’s tough to be an elite defender without having great size. Keon Ellis and Cason Wallace are the exceptions. Both have an unbelievable motor, hounding their assignments.

The Hawks have three new additions to this portion of the list. Jalen Johnson is an excellent athlete who can move laterally, guard multiple positions, and rebound. Mo Gueye hasn’t played a ton. When he has been on the floor, he’s given Atlanta a big man with unyielding effort and defensive playmaking. Nickeil Alexander-Walker made the list last year as a member of the Wolves. His suffocating point-of-attack defense should help cover for Trae Young. 

Alexander-Walker’s cousin, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, clocks in five spots below him. SGA is the rare superstar who plays both ends. He’s not an amazing one-on-one defender, but his penchant for getting deflections raises the bar for the Thunder. 

Franz Wagner is another star who plays both ends hard. He’s a versatile forward who generates turnovers for a devastating Magic offense. Wendell Carter Jr. has played a large role in that defense for years with his jack-of-all-trades game, long wingspan, and high feel. 

High motor wings are one of the most valuable types of defenders. There are several that make this list, including Jarred Vanderbilt, Haywood Highsmith, and Dean Wade. Others are always one step ahead of what their opponent is trying to do. You can lump Lonzo Ball and Jimmy Butler into that camp. And then there are the undersized players who guard up in position through sheer force of will, like Kenrich Williams and Josh Hart. 

Nic Claxton was one of the biggest fallers, dropping 39 spots. Back issues hampered him, as did having to cover for so many weak defenders and playing on a bad team. The Nets are expected to be bad again. He could be rejuvenated in a trade. 

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Top 76-100 defenders

Andrew Nembhard gets a nod for creating his own signature defensive move, pulling the chair out when players try to power through him on drives. Jose Alvarado‘s inbounds steals are equally cool. Both make up for a lack of size with intense ball pressure and smarts. 

Scotty Pippen Jr. , AJ Green, and Ryan Dunn are new additions to the list. At just 6-foot-1, Pippen doesn’t have the size of his dad, who might be the best wing defender of all time. But he does have the same quick hands, feel, and motor. Green was the Bucks’ best perimeter defender last year. Dunn has the athleticism, motor, and feel to be elite as he gains more experience.

Nikola Jokic is always a controversial selection on these lists. His defense tailed off last season, and he’s never looked like an elite defender. His slow feet and limited vertical will always hold him back. But he’s a deflections king, thanks to his reflexes and encyclopedic knowledge of his opponents’ tendencies. His impact always shines in adjusted plus-minus data. 

Luke Kornet is a great example of how the right scheme can elevate a player. Years ago, he was used in a hyper-aggressive blitzing scheme that exposed his poor footspeed. The Celtics put him closer to the rim, and he has shined as a big body who can rebound and protect the rim. It will be interesting to see his impact on another new team in San Antonio.

Alex Sarr had a very rough rookie season as a scorer. He’s already a good defender in the league though. His shot-blocking and mobility will shine more with another year of experience. 

Including rookies on these lists is always controversial. Only two have ever had that honor — Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. Flagg and Collin Murray-Boyles sneak on as the third and fourth.

CMB was one of the best defenders in college basketball, pairing an extremely high defensive feel with a long wingspan, great strength, and active hands. Rookies are almost never positive impact defenders. Murray-Boyles and Flagg are  the exceptions in their class.