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Ranking the five greatest defenders in NBA history

By Craig Cochran

MEMPHIS, TN - DECEMBER 10: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors has the ball stolen by Tony Allen #9 of the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedExForum on December 10, 2016 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - DECEMBER 10: Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors has the ball stolen by Tony Allen #9 of the Memphis Grizzlies at the FedExForum on December 10, 2016 in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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NBA (Photo by PETE LEVINE/AFP via Getty Images)
NBA (Photo by PETE LEVINE/AFP via Getty Images) /

Hakeem Olajuwon

Reasoning: Could effectively guard every position and was dominant against centers in the best era for the position.

The Dream. A great nickname, sure, but even better were Hakeem Olajuwon’s incomprehensible abilities on a basketball court. During an era ruled by centers (Shaquille O’Neal, Dikembe Mutombo, Patrick Ewing, Alonzo Mourning, and David Robinson), Hakeem was head and shoulders above them all.

Offensively, Hakeem was impossibly talented. Standing at a lean 7-feet tall with gangly arms and gargantuan hands, it should have been impossible for a man to possess even a semblance of dexterity, but his unbelievable footwork from a soccer-involved upbringing and his athletic fluidity made Hakeem the most unguardable force the center position has ever known. What makes Hakeem as great as he was—and, in my opinion, what makes him the best center of all-time—however, was his ability to impact the game as much on the defensive end as he did on the offensive end.

A two-time Defensive Player of the Year (1993, 1994) and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive team member (five first-teams, four second-teams), Hakeem used his illogically nimble athleticism to swat shots and strip his opponents better than anyone in his era. He locked down the block at a higher capacity than anyone other than maybe Mutombo in his era, and he could easily switch on guards and forwards due to his masterful footwork and agility.

With career averages of 11.1 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 1.7 steals, the numbers speak for themselves. As a matter of fact, Hakeem recorded five consecutive seasons where he averaged over 6 stocks (steals and blocks combined) per game—an accomplishment that, to my knowledge through extensive researching, has never been topped.

The Dream also ranks seventh in career defensive box plus/minus and fourth in defensive win shares—a combination of metrics that fails to appear anywhere else on this list. Hakeem Olajuwon may not have laid the initial blueprints for defensive dominance, but he perfected them better than anyone in league history.

But speaking of initial blueprints…