21 players the NBA repeatedly snubbed for Defensive Player of the Year

Snubbed Defensive Player #11: Roy Hibbert

Despite Roy Hibbert not having the staying power of other players on this list, his defensive impact on the NBA is still impressive. At 7’2, Hibbert was one of the tallest players in the NBA during his career, and he put that height to great use by helping popularize verticality. Verticality is essentially jumping straight up with your arms raised to maximize a player’s size while also avoiding shooting fouls at the basket.

As a member of the Indiana Pacers, Hibbert perfected that skill and anchored their elite defense.

The Pacers had four consecutive top-10 finishes in defensive rating with Hibbert patrolling the paint, including the top-ranked defense in 2012-13 and 2013-14. Hibbert finished fifth in defensive win shares and fourth in blocks per game both seasons. He also finished second in DPOY voting behind Tyson Chandler in 2013–14.

As a result, Indiana went to the Eastern Conference Finals both seasons and faced the Miami Heat. They lost both times but pushed the super team further than any other team in the East did. Hibbert’s elite rim protection eventually lost most of its luster once teams began playing smaller and prioritizing spacing.

He simply couldn’t defend away from the basket, and he eventually settled into a role as a backup center before retiring a few seasons later. Regardless, Hibbert’s play at his peak was unquestionably Defensive Player of the Year-worthy.