Ranking the five greatest defenders in NBA history

Dennis Rodman

Reasoning: The worm invented defensive versatility.

Remember when I mentioned that the NBA was once a very weird place? Dennis Rodman may not have invented the league’s once-fabled lunacy, but he certainly adopted it in ways that seem fictionalized as part of some grand scheme to terrify his opponents (Which, in retrospect, makes me think: was that Dennis’ masterplan all along?). However, what Rodman did invent was the ability to effectively play every position on the defensive end.

With a haunting 7’4″ wingspan along with some of the most high-level defensive instincts in league history, Rodman might as well have been a shoo-in to become one of the best defenders of his era. Yet it is when you combine his physical characteristics and his intangibles with his non-stop motor and “f-you” attitude that you build what many consider to be the most menacing all-around defender the game has ever known.

As previously mentioned, Rodman went on to win two Defensive Player of the Year honors—a feat that only eight other players have accomplished. His ability to match up against dominant big men like Hakeem Olajuwon, Shaquille O’Neal, and David Robinson was almost as impressive as his propensity to switch onto and control guards like Penny Hardaway, John Stockton, and Michael Jordan. There has never been a more versatile stopper in league history besides possibly Draymond Green, but my nod goes to Rodman due to Rodman’s head-down approach and his unmatched intensity.

Oh, and Rodman is arguably the most talented rebounder in the history of the sport—the most important aspect of defense that frequently gets overlooked by my peers. After all, the most common way to end a team’s possession is by rebounding their misses.