Atlanta Hawks: Best candidates for 2018-19 NBA awards

Defensive Player of the Year: John Collins

In his rookie season, John Collins led the Hawks in blocks per game (1.1), defensive box plus/minus (1.9), and defensive win shares (2.0). If anyone on this team has a chance to take home the league’s top defensive honors, it’s Collins.

Historically, the Defensive Player of the Year award has often gone to a center — seven of the last 10 to be exact. While Collins doesn’t exactly fit the mold of a David Robinson or a Dikembe Mutombo, his athleticism and wingspan allow him to make a significant impact on the defensive end.

Aside from the aforementioned numbers above, opponents shot 45.8 percent against Collins (47.9 was the league average) and the Hawks allowed 1.8 fewer points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor. It stands to reason that those stats will improve as Collins continues to progress.

Collins was quietly one of the better rookies in the NBA last year, as his Second Team All-Rookie selection suggests. A strong followup could net him bigger accolades at the end of this season.