Who are DPOY favorites with Victor Wembanyama out for season?

San Antonio Spurs All-Star center Victor Wembanyama will miss the rest of the regular season with deep vein thrombosis, per Shams Charania of ESPN. 

Wembanyama is expected to make a full recovery by next season, but he is now ineligible for end-of-season awards, including Defensive Player of the Year. (Players must reach a minimum threshold of 65 games to be eligible for DPOY, MVP and other season awards.)

The San Antonio star, who is leading the league in blocks (3.8 per game), was the favorite to win DPOY, but now the race is wide open. With only seven weeks left in the regular season, here are players who are top contenders for the award: 

(All stats and records are through Wednesday’s play.)

Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis big man already has one DPOY award. After news broke on Wembanyama, Jackson quickly rose to DPOY favorite, per DraftKings. This is for good reason, as Jackson is averaging 1.6 blocks and 1.3 steals, and according to StatMuse, the Grizzlies have an above-average 108.8 defensive rating while Jackson is on the floor. With Memphis (36-18) positioned as the two-seed in the West, Jackson appears to be the strongest candidate for DPOY. 

Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers

Jackson’s biggest challenger for DPOY is Mobley, whose incredible defense is a major reason for Cleveland’s 44-10 record, tied for the best in the NBA. According to NBA Advanced Analytics, the team’s defensive rating is 6.3 points better when Mobley is playing, and he is holding opponents to 59.3% shooting at the rim, second best in the league among players who have defended 500 or more shots.

Now in his fourth season, Mobley is finally fulfilling his elite defensive potential. If he continues this stellar play on one of the best teams in the league, he has an excellent shot to win DPOY. 

Luguentz Dort | Oklahoma City Thunder

Dort, a dark horse for the award, is a do-it-all defender in the style of former DPOY Marcus Smart for the 44-10 Thunder. He is the best defender on the best defense in the league. Dort is holding opponents to a 40.6% field-goal percentage and OKC’s defensive rating of 105.4 is nearly four points better than the No. 2 Los Angeles Clippers, per NBA Advanced Stats. 

Dort is one of the premier perimeter defenders in the league, and if the Thunder defense continues to play at a stellar level, he could win DPOY. 

Dyson Daniels | Atlanta Hawks

The “Great Barrier Thief” of the Atlanta Hawks (26-29) is having an all-time perimeter defensive season. The third-year guard from Australia is averaging a mind-boggling three steals. If he maintains that pace, he’ll be the first player to average three or more steals over the course of a season in 35 years. 

Daniels is also second in the league in “stocks” (steals + blocks) with 3.78, trailing only Wembanyama. However, with Atlanta stuck in the middle of a mediocre Eastern Conference, Daniels’ season is more of an indication of a bright future than a potential DPOY campaign.