NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds 2025-26: Wembanyama Heavy Favorite to Win First DPOY
The San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama is the NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds favorite ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Wembanyama was the runaway favorite last season before a blood clot issue ended his campaign in January, and the Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley took home the hardware instead.
Trailing Wembanyama are Chet Holmgren (+700), Mobley (+1400), Amen Thompson (+2500), and Anthony Davis (+3500).
Given Wembanyama's short odds, I'm targeting Holmgren instead as part of my NBA picks.
📊 Live NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds 2025-26
🏆 NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds favorite
🤠 Victor Wembanyama, Spurs (-175)
This award is clearly Victor Wembanyama's to lose, health permitting, with his -175 odds implying a 63.64% probability that he will take home the trophy.
He very likely would have been the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year if he finished last season, as he averaged an incredible 3.8 blocks per game (1.4 better than Walker Kessler in second place).
His ability as an agile shot-blocker makes him the most impactful defensive player in the game today. Wembanyama's generational wingspan and closing speed make it so no opposing shot is safe - even from the 3-point line. He often makes it look easy.
At -175 odds, a $10 bet on Wembanyama would net a profit of $5.71.
👀 My NBA Defensive Player of the Year prediction & best bet
⚡ Chet Holmgren, Thunder (+700)
Chet Holmgren is likely to be measured against Victor Wembanyama throughout their respective careers as star centers in the Western Conference. And I think he has a better chance to best Wemby for Defensive Player of the Year than the odds (+700) imply.
Oklahoma City had the best defensive rating in the NBA season ago - and led the league in most other major defensive stats. The Thunder are primed to deliver a similar performance again this year, and if Holmgren is seen as their anchor on that end of the floor this season, he could win the award on behalf of the elite group.
Like Wembanyama, health is also a factor when placing a wager on Holmgren, who appeared in just 32 games last season due to injury. He's played in just 114 games across three NBA seasons, but he did appear in all 82 in 2023-24.
Though having the second-shortest odds, Holmgren has just a 12.5% implied probability to win the award, per our odds calculator, with a successful $10 bet bringing home a $70 profit.
🔢 NBA Defensive Player of the Year opening odds
Odds via FanDuel.
- Victor Wembanyama: -185
- Chet Holmgren: +650
- Amen Thompson: +1600
- Anthony Davis: +1600
- Draymond Green: +1600
- Dyson Daniels: +2000
- Evan Mobley: +2500
- Jalen Suggs: +4000
- Jaren Jackson Jr: +4000
- Ausar Thompson: +6000
- Luguentz Dort: +7500
🏅 NBA Defensive Player of the Year past winners
| Year | Name | Team | Preseason odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers | +1600 |
| 2023-24 | Rudy Gobert | Minnesota Timberwolves | +2000 |
| 2022-23 | Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies | +2000 |
| 2021-22 | Marcus Smart | Boston Celtics | +4000 |
| 2020-21 | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | +300 |
| 2019-20 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +400 |
| 2018-19 | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | +163 |
| 2017-18 | Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz | +325 |
| 2016-17 | Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors | +550 |
| 2015-16 | Kawhi Leonard | San Antonio Spurs | +550 |
❓ NBA Defensive Player of the Year FAQs
Who is the favorite to win NBA Defensive Player?
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs is the favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year at -175 odds.
Who won NBA Defensive Player of the Year last year?
Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley won NBA Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 1.6 blocks per game and 0.9 steals per game.
💰 NBA betting odds pages
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