Victor Wembanyama Creates History With NBA All-Defensive First Team Selection
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who was picked as the Defensive Player of the Year, and San Antonio Spurs forward-center, Victor Wembanyama, who was second in the race, have made it to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team for 2023-24, it was announced on Tuesday.
Other players on the First Team are Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones and Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis.
Meanwhile, the Second Team includes Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels and Celtics guard Jrue Holiday.
Here are the complete voting results for the Kia NBA All-Defensive Teams:
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Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren Star in 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie Teams
Victory Wembanyama Creates History
Victory Wembanyama has become the only rookie to be selected on the NBA All-Defensive First Team. No player has achieved this record since the league started naming its all-defensive first and second teams annually in 1968-69. The Spurs forward is also favorite for his selection for the All-NBA Team as well.
The other two rookies from the Spurs to achieve this feat were Tim Duncan in 1998 and David Robinson in 1990.
So far, only six rookies have been able to get on the All-Defensive Team. These are Wembanyama, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Manute Bol (1986), Hakeem Olajuwon (1985), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970).
The global panel of sports writers and presenters selected the five players for the NBA All-Defensive First Team and as many players for the Second Team at any position. Players who received two points for each first team vote and one point for the second team vote.
With input from NBA.com