NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year Award

The NBA G League Defensive Player of the Year is an annual NBA G League award given since the league's inaugural season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The league's head coaches determine the award by voting and it is usually presented to the honoree during the D-League playoffs.{{cite web|url=http://siouxfalls.dleague.nba.com/news/sioux-falls-deandre-liggins-named-2015-16-nba-development-league-defensive-player-year/|title=SIOUX FALLS' DEANDRE LIGGINS NAMED 2015-16 NBA DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR|work=NBA.com|date=April 13, 2016|accessdate=April 16, 2016}}

Through the 2020–21 season, three players have been named the Defensive Player of the Year more than once: Derrick Zimmerman (2005, 2006), Stefhon Hannah (2012, 2013) and DeAndre Liggins (2014, 2016). Six international players have been named recipients: Stéphane Lasme (Gabon), Mouhamed Sene (Senegal), Walter Tavares (Cape Verde), Landry Nnoko (Cameroon), Chris Boucher (Canada), and Christ Koumadje (Chad). Jeff Myers was the inaugural winner while playing for the Greenville Groove.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/dleague/nbdl/groove_myers_dpoy_020327.html|title=Groove's Myers Named 2001-02 NBDL Defensive Player of the Year|work=NBA.com|date=March 27, 2002|accessdate=April 16, 2016}}

Winners

class="wikitable"

style="background-color:#CFECEC;" | †

|Denotes a tie for the Defensive Player of the Year Award

class="wikitable sortable"
Season	Player	Position	Nationality	Team
2001–02 \| {{sortname\|Jeff\|Myers\|dab=basketball}} \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Greenville Groove
2002–03 \| {{sortname\|Mikki\|Moore}} \| Center \| {{USA}} \| Roanoke Dazzle
2003–04 \| {{sortname\|Karim\|Shabazz}} \| Center \| {{USA}} \| Charleston Lowgators
2004–05 \| {{sortname\|Derrick\|Zimmerman}} (1) \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Columbus Riverdragons
2005–06 \| {{sortname\|Derrick\|Zimmerman}} (2) \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Austin Toros
2006–07 \| {{sortname\|Renaldo\|Major}} \| Forward \| {{USA}} \| Dakota Wizards (1)
style="background-color:#CFECEC;" rowspan=2 \|2007–08^† \| {{sortname\|Stéphane\|Lasme}} \| Forward \| {{GAB}} \| Los Angeles D-Fenders
{{sortname\|Mouhamed\|Sene}} \| Center \| {{SEN}} \| Idaho Stampede (1)
2008–09 \| {{sortname\|Brent\|Petway}} \| Forward \| {{USA}} \| Idaho Stampede (2)
2009–10 \| {{sortname\|Greg\|Stiemsma}} \| Center \| {{USA}} \| Sioux Falls Skyforce (1)
2010–11 \| {{sortname\|Chris\|Johnson\|Chris Johnson (basketball, born 1985)}} \| Center \| {{USA}} \| Dakota Wizards (2)
2011–12 \| {{sortname\|Stefhon\|Hannah}} (1) \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Dakota Wizards (3)
2012–13 \| {{sortname\|Stefhon\|Hannah}} (2) \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Santa Cruz Warriors (1)
2013–14 \| {{sortname\|DeAndre\|Liggins}} \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Sioux Falls Skyforce (2)
2014–15 \| {{sortname\|Aaron\|Craft}} \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Santa Cruz Warriors (2)
2015–16 \| {{sortname\|DeAndre\|Liggins}} (2) \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Sioux Falls Skyforce (3)
2016–17 \| {{sortname\|Edy\|Tavares}} \| Center \| {{CPV}} \| Raptors 905 (1)
2017–18 \| {{sortname\|Landry\|Nnoko}} \| Center \| {{CMR}} \| Grand Rapids Drive
2018–19 \| {{sortname\|Chris\|Boucher\|dab=basketball}} \| Forward \| {{CAN}} \| Raptors 905 (2)
2019–20 \| {{sortname\|Christ\|Koumadje}} \| Center \| {{CHA}} \| Delaware Blue Coats (1)
2020–21 \| {{sortname\|Gary\|Payton II}}{{cite web \|url=https://gleague.nba.com/news/raptors-905s-gary-payton-ii-named-2020-21-nba-g-league-defensive-player-of-the-year/ \|title=Raptors 905's Gary Payton II Named 2020-21 NBA G League Defensive Player Of The Year \|website=G League \|date=March 19, 2021}} \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Raptors 905 (3)
2021–22 \| {{sortname\|Shaquille\|Harrison}}{{cite web \|url=https://bluecoats.gleague.nba.com/news/shaquille-harrison-named-2021-22-kia-nba-g-league-defensive-player-of-the-year/ \|title=SHAQUILLE HARRISON NAMED 2021-22 KIA NBA G LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR \|website=G League \|date=April 8, 2022 \|access-date=April 8, 2022}} \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| Delaware Blue Coats (2)
2022–23 \| {{sortname\|Jay\|Huff}} \| Center \| {{USA}} \| Capital City Go-Go
2023–24 \| {{sortname\|Shaquille\|Harrison}} (2){{cite web\|title=Shaq Harrison Named Kia NBA G League Defensive Player Of The Year\|url=https://gleague.nba.com/news/shaq-harrison-named-kia-nba-g-league-defensive-player-of-the-year\|website=NBA.com\|date=April 4, 2024\|access-date=April 4, 2024}} \| Guard \| {{USA}} \| South Bay Lakers
2024–25 \| {{sortname\|Braxton\|Key}} \| Forward \| {{USA}} \| Santa Cruz Warriors

class="wikitable sortable"

Season

Player

Position

Nationality

Team

2001–02

| {{sortname|Jeff|Myers|dab=basketball}}

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Greenville Groove

2002–03

| {{sortname|Mikki|Moore}}

| Center

| {{USA}}

| Roanoke Dazzle

2003–04

| {{sortname|Karim|Shabazz}}

| Center

| {{USA}}

| Charleston Lowgators

2004–05

| {{sortname|Derrick|Zimmerman}} (1)

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Columbus Riverdragons

2005–06

| {{sortname|Derrick|Zimmerman}} (2)

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Austin Toros

2006–07

| {{sortname|Renaldo|Major}}

| Forward

| {{USA}}

| Dakota Wizards (1)

style="background-color:#CFECEC;" rowspan=2 |2007–08^†

| {{sortname|Stéphane|Lasme}}

| Forward

| {{GAB}}

| Los Angeles D-Fenders

| Center

| {{SEN}}

| Idaho Stampede (1)

2008–09

| {{sortname|Brent|Petway}}

| Forward

| {{USA}}

| Idaho Stampede (2)

2009–10

| {{sortname|Greg|Stiemsma}}

| Center

| {{USA}}

| Sioux Falls Skyforce (1)

2010–11

| {{sortname|Chris|Johnson|Chris Johnson (basketball, born 1985)}}

| Center

| {{USA}}

| Dakota Wizards (2)

2011–12

| {{sortname|Stefhon|Hannah}} (1)

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Dakota Wizards (3)

2012–13

| {{sortname|Stefhon|Hannah}} (2)

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Santa Cruz Warriors (1)

2013–14

| {{sortname|DeAndre|Liggins}}

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Sioux Falls Skyforce (2)

2014–15

| {{sortname|Aaron|Craft}}

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Santa Cruz Warriors (2)

2015–16

| {{sortname|DeAndre|Liggins}} (2)

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Sioux Falls Skyforce (3)

2016–17

| {{sortname|Edy|Tavares}}

| Center

| {{CPV}}

| Raptors 905 (1)

2017–18

| {{sortname|Landry|Nnoko}}

| Center

| {{CMR}}

| Grand Rapids Drive

2018–19

| {{sortname|Chris|Boucher|dab=basketball}}

| Forward

| {{CAN}}

| Raptors 905 (2)

2019–20

| {{sortname|Christ|Koumadje}}

| Center

| {{CHA}}

| Delaware Blue Coats (1)

2020–21

| {{sortname|Gary|Payton II}}{{cite web |url=https://gleague.nba.com/news/raptors-905s-gary-payton-ii-named-2020-21-nba-g-league-defensive-player-of-the-year/ |title=Raptors 905's Gary Payton II Named 2020-21 NBA G League Defensive Player Of The Year |website=G League |date=March 19, 2021}}

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Raptors 905 (3)

2021–22

| {{sortname|Shaquille|Harrison}}{{cite web |url=https://bluecoats.gleague.nba.com/news/shaquille-harrison-named-2021-22-kia-nba-g-league-defensive-player-of-the-year/ |title=SHAQUILLE HARRISON NAMED 2021-22 KIA NBA G LEAGUE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR |website=G League |date=April 8, 2022 |access-date=April 8, 2022}}

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| Delaware Blue Coats (2)

2022–23

| {{sortname|Jay|Huff}}

| Center

| {{USA}}

| Capital City Go-Go

2023–24

| {{sortname|Shaquille|Harrison}} (2){{cite web|title=Shaq Harrison Named Kia NBA G League Defensive Player Of The Year|url=https://gleague.nba.com/news/shaq-harrison-named-kia-nba-g-league-defensive-player-of-the-year|website=NBA.com|date=April 4, 2024|access-date=April 4, 2024}}

| Guard

| {{USA}}

| South Bay Lakers

2024–25

| {{sortname|Braxton|Key}}

| Forward

| {{USA}}

| Santa Cruz Warriors