The NBA Defensive Player of the Year race may not be the most glamorous, but it’s still one of the most intriguing ones to keep tabs on throughout the season. It’s also been one of the toughest to predict in recent years.
The past four winners have all been unique, with the most recent being Evan Mobley. It’s also not as easy to anticipate which teams will rank near the top of the league on defense compared to offense.
With that in mind, let’s search for value as we review the latest NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds for 2025-26.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds 2025
These NBA lines are current as of Sunday, Oct. 19, at 10 p.m. ET and courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
- Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (-175)
- Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder (+650)
- Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers (+900)
- Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (+1400)
- Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks (+2200)
- Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks (+3000)
- Luguentz Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder (+4000)
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies (+4000)
- Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (+4000)
- Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat (+4000)
All other NBA DPOY candidates have odds of (+5000) or longer.
Who Will Win NBA DPOY?
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs (-175)
Victor Wembanyama is the heavy favorite for good reason. His ability to protect the rim is second to none. This is a guy who averaged 3.8 blocks per game last season.
Let’s not forget that Wembanyama was cruising to win this award last year before a season-ending injury. Expect that to happen again, barring injuries.
I usually don’t like to lay juice on a futures prop, but I’ll make an exception with Wembanyama on my NBA bet of the day.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Contenders
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder (+650)
Like Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren is an excellent rim protector, anchoring one of the best defenses in the NBA. Holmgren has averaged 2+ blocks per game in each of his two seasons.
You’re getting great value on Holmgren at +650, making him worth a look here.
But it would likely take Wembanyama to miss time to win this prop.
Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets (+1400)
Amen Thompson is a terrific perimeter defender who can lock down an opposing team’s best scorer on any given night.
The issue is that he doesn’t dominate in the same way that Wembanyama does, so it could be tough for him to win this award.
- Find out where the Heat stand in the latest NBA Finals odds.
With that said, you have to like the value at +1400 odds.
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Sleeper
Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks (+2200)
Up next is a steals machine in Dyson Daniels, who averaged 3.0 steals per game last season.
This is the kind of flashy player that could potentially win the award, especially if the Hawks exceed expectations.
Daniels is my favorite sleeper to win Defensive Player of the Year.
