2. Paul George wins Defensive Player of the Year
For the last few years, the race for the Defensive Player of the Year award has been dominated by three players — Kawhi Leonard, Draymond Green and Rudy Gobert. In 2018-19, a new name will enter the mix when Paul George wins the vote by a large margin.
Prior to last season, George hadn’t even garnered serious consideration for the award. However, in 2017-18, he finished fourth in voting, behind only Gobert, Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis. With his skills continuing to develop on the defensive end, though, it makes sense for the explosive two-way threat to take his game to the next level.
That’s exactly what he’s going to do in his second season with the Thunder.
Despite the return of Andre Roberson, George will be Oklahoma City’s defensive superstar in 2018-19. On top of doing his usual work in the steals department, he’ll also up his game as a shot-blocker, using his athleticism and instincts to send shots back at a consistent clip.
We’ve seen the potential George has to be an impact player on both ends of the floor. On defense, though, it’s safe to label PG-13 as a truly elite talent. The rest of the NBA will be reminded of just how deadly he can be on defense in 2018-19, allowing him to run away with his first Defensive Player of the Year award.