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

Snubbed Defensive Player #7: John Stockton

Stockton’s name is almost never mentioned in discussions of the greatest defensive players of all time. This despite him having the all-time record for total steals with 3,265. That is nearly 600 more steals than the second-placed Jason Kidd and 1,000 more than LeBron James. The sheer number of takeaways should at least put him in the conversation, but he never won Defensive Player of the Year in 19 seasons.

While Stockton was a capable on-ball defender, he was best known for his off-ball defense. He would often strip big men, either by providing double teams in the post or by intercepting passes and getting out in transition. Still, there is a myriad of reasons why he didn’t win a DPOY. One is that point guards simply don’t win the award very often.

Actually, only Gary Payton and Marcus Smart have won the award in its 40-plus-year history. Additionally, Stockton, like Pippen and Ewing, suffered from playing in the same era as several incredible defensive centers. Ultimately, Stockton faced an uphill battle for the award but does at least hold the record for steals, and it’s unlikely to be broken for a very long time.