NBA: Top 10 candidates for 2017-18 Defensive Player of the Year

4. Anthony Davis

In a race that seemingly only has three horses, Anthony Davis could throw himself into the running if the New Orleans Pelicans establish themselves as a legitimate playoff squad.

The reason for that stipulation? The Pellies were the ninth-stingiest defense in the NBA last year, and their defensive rating plummeted from 102.5 with AD on the floor to a whopping 110.1 whenever he took a seat on the bench, but the Brow got exactly zero recognition for any of it because NOLA was so far from being relevant.

There were three elite candidates in this category last year, and that remains true for 2017-18. But if the Pelicans can field another top-10 or even top-five defense, it should be time for one of the game’s burgeoning lockdown defenders to receive the proper praise for it.

His 2.2 blocks per game ranked fourth in the association last year, and he was the only player in the NBA to average at least two blocks and one steal per game. Davis can defend out on the perimeter, he’s a terrifying presence as a chase-down blocker and he’s still only 24. He’s just going to get better, and 2017-18 could be the season that sees him make the leap on the defensive end.