Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award

| Awarded a national player of the year award:
Men – Sporting News; Oscar Robertson Trophy; Associated Press; NABC; Naismith; Wooden
Women – Wade; Associated Press; Naismith; Wooden

| Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year at that point

|

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"

|+ Men

! Year

! Player

! School

! Position

! Class

! class="unsortable"|Reference

| 2017–18

| |{{sortname|Jevon|Carter}}

| West Virginia

| PG

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =Cobb| first =David| title=Carter learning from Conley |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/777520886 |newspaper=The Commercial Appeal |location=Memphis, Tennessee |date=December 20, 2018 |page= 13|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2018–19

| {{sortname|Matisse|Thybulle}}

| Washington

| SG

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =Kirschman| first =Lauren| title=UW's Thybulle named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1038242207 |newspaper=The Everett Herald |location=Everett, Washington |date=April 8, 2019 |page= C1|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2019–20

| |{{sortname|Marcus|Garrett}}

| Kansas

| SG

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Bedore| first =Gary| title=KU's Garrett is Naismith defensive player of year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/652575506 |newspaper=The Kansas City Star |location=Kansas City, Missouri |date=April 2, 2020 |page= B1|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2020–21

| |{{sortname|Davion|Mitchell}}

| Baylor

| PG

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Werner| first =John| title=Mitchell named defensive player of year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/986313074 |newspaper=Waco Tribune-Herald |location=Waco, Texas |date=April 3, 2021 |page= 16|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2021–22

| {{sortname|Walker|Kessler}}

| Auburn

| C

| {{sort|2|Sophomore}}

| {{cite news|last =Durando| first =Bennett| title=Auburn's Kessler wins Naismith Defensive Player of the Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/830311911 |newspaper=Montgomery Advertiser |location=Montgomery, Alabama |date=April 4, 2022 |page= B3|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2022–23

| {{sortname|Jaylen|Clark}}

| UCLA

| SG

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Zach Edey, Jerome Tang, Jaylen Clark win Naismith awards |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/947060479 |newspaper=The Victoria Advocate |location=Victoria, Texas |date=April 4, 2023 |page= B2|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2023–24

| {{sortname|Jamal|Shead}}

| Houston

| PG

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news |last=Criswell |first=Josh |date=April 7, 2024 |title=Naismith Awards: Jamal Shead makes Houston history with latest honor |url=https://www.lmtonline.com/sports/college/article/naismith-awards-houston-jamal-shead-19390360.php |work=Laredo Morning Times |location=Laredo, Texas |access-date=August 22, 2024}}

| 2024–25

| {{sortname|Ryan|Kalkbrenner}}

| Creighton

| C

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news |author= |date=April 6, 2025 |title=Creighton's Kalkbrenner wins Naismith Defensive player of the Year, beats Mashack and Zeigler |url=https://www.wbir.com/article/sports/college/vols/naismith-defensive-player-of-the-year-mashack-zeigler/51-f0b92ecf-2c06-4d95-b0ed-aeccae02984c |work=WBIR.com |location=Knoxville, Tennessee |publisher= |access-date=April 6, 2025}}

|+ Women

! Year

! Player

! School

! Position

! Class

! class="unsortable"|Reference

| 2017–18

| {{sortname|Teaira|McCowan}}

| Mississippi State

| C

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Miller| first =Brody| title=Stopping McCowan 'A tall order' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/412805326 |newspaper=Hattiesburg American |location=Hattiesburg, Mississippi |date=April 1, 2018 |page= C2|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2018–19

| {{sortname|Kristine|Anigwe}}

| California

| PF / C

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =Stacy| first =Kelli| title=Getting to know first-round pick Anigwe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/557560098 |newspaper=Hartford Courant |location=Hartford, Connecticut |date=April 25, 2019 |page= C1|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2019–20

| {{sortname|DiDi|Richards}}

| Baylor

| SG

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Conine| first =Chad| title=Richards claims another 'pretty darn special' defensive honor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/986320660 |newspaper=Waco Tribune-Herald |location=Waco, Texas |date=April 2, 2020 |page= 9|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2020–21

| |{{sortname|Natasha|Mack}}

| Oklahoma State

| SF

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=OSU's Mack wins second defensive player of the year honor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/725628508 |newspaper=The Oklahoman |location=Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |date=April 3, 2021 |page= C2|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2021–22

| style="background-color:#FFE6BD" | {{sortname|Aliyah|Boston}}*

| South Carolina

| PF / C

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Diaz| first =Cory| title=USC's Boston named Naismith POTY |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/829414231 |newspaper=The Greenville News |location=Greenville, South Carolina |date=April 1, 2022 |page= C1|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2022–23

| {{sortname|Aliyah|Boston}} (2)

| South Carolina

| PF / C

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =Holloway| first =Jeremiah| title=Aliyah Boston declares for WNBA Draft |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/946582613 |newspaper=The State |location=Columbia, South Carolina |date=April 3, 2023 |page= B1|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2023–24

| {{sortname|Cameron|Brink}}

| Stanford

| C

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =Nhi Nguyen| first =Thuc| title=WNBA draft suspense begins after Clark |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1064133101 |newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |location=Fort Worth, Texas |date=April 15, 2024 |page= B2|via =Newspapers.com |accessdate = August 22, 2024}}

| 2024–25

| {{sortname|Lauren|Betts}}

| UCLA

| C

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite press release |url=https://naismithtrophy.com/lauren-betts-cori-close-and-juju-watkins-earn-2025-naismith-honors/ |title=Lauren Betts, Cori Close and Juju Watkins Earn 2025 Naismith Honors |publisher=Atlanta Tipoff Club |date=April 2, 2025 |access-date=April 5, 2025}}