ESPN has released its expert picks for 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The network’s NBA Summer Forecast panel — a group of NBA experts, including reporters, editors, and analysts — ranked its top three choices for the NBA’s six major awards. A first-place vote counts as five points, a second-place vote receives three, and a third-place vote represents one.
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert claimed his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award last season. However, his French counterpart, San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama, ran away with the preseason vote this summer.
According to the ESPN NBA Summer Forecast vote count, Wembanyama leads all other players with 76 points (67% of first-place votes). Despite Gobert winning four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards (2018, 2019, 2021, 2024), the three-time All-Star garnered just 29 points (5%) overall.
ESPN NBA Summer Forecast Voting Results For 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
| NBA Player | NBA Team | Total Points | Percentage of First-Place Votes |
| Victor Wembanyama | San Antonio Spurs | 76 | 67% |
| Rudy Gobert | Minnesota Timberwolves | 29 | 5% |
| Bam Adebayo | Miami Heat | 26 | 14% |
| Anthony Davis | Los Angeles Lakers | 14 | N/A |
| Mikal Bridges | New York Knicks | 10 | 5% |
| Jrue Holiday | Boston Celtics | 8 | 5% |
| Joel Embiid | Philadelphia 76ers | 5 | 5% |
| Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors | 4 | N/A |
| OG Anunoby | New York Knicks | 4 | N/A |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | 4 | N/A |
| Alex Caruso | Oklahoma City Thunder | 3 | N/A |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies | 3 | N/A |
| Evan Mobley | Cleveland Cavaliers | 3 | N/A |
| Herbert Jones | New Orleans Pelicans | 1 | N/A |
| Jaylen Brown | Boston Celtics | 1 | N/A |
| Chet Holmgren | Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 | N/A |
Wembanyama finished second in the DPOY last season as a rookie after setting a number of NBA records. He averaged 2.0 blocks and 2.2 steals over five games while helping France win the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics after averaging 3.6 blocks per game with the Spurs last season.
Gobert and Wembanyama could be the front runners for the award throughout the entirety of the 2024-25 regular season. Then there’s Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo and Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis. Both stars follow the French duo on the list after impressive performances for Team USA.
According to multiple NBA sportsbooks, Wembanyama is the odds-on favorite to win next season’s DPOY Award. The ESPN NBA Summer Forecast panel members had to have considered this while making their predictions.
