NBA
Notable names were left off Kendrick Perkins’ list of top 5 defensive players in the NBA
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated31 mins ago on August 07, 2025
Of the approximately 450 active NBA players, a majority made it to the league because of an offensive skill set. However, some have a calling card defensively.
Defensive stalwarts are not easy to come by in the league. There are a few teams in the NBA that have elite defensive talent on their roster. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins recently named his top five defensive players in the NBA. The list included Alex Caruso, Evan Mobley, Amen Thompson, Victor Wembanyama, and Lu Dort. One could argue that Giannis Antetokounmpo or Bam Adebayo have the resume to be on this list.
Kendrick Perkins’ top five defensive players list is receiving backlash
Kendrick Perkins’ top 5 defensive players in the NBA:
1. Alex Caruso
2. Evan Mobley
3. Amen Thompson
4. Victor Wembanyama
5. Luguentz Dort(h/t @ohnohedidnt24 ) pic.twitter.com/69gts3ZTYh
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 6, 2025
During the offseason, sports outlets like ESPN love to release “best players” or “top players” lists. Former NBA player turned analyst Kendrick Perkins recently shared his top five defensive players in the NBA. His list from one to five included Alex Caruso, Evan Mobley, Amen Thompson, Victor Wembanyama, and Lu Dort. That features two members of the 2025 NBA champion OKC Thunder, and Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley.
Additionally, Amen Thompson, Evan Mobley, and Lu Dort were selected to the All-Defensive first team. Victor Wembanyama was All-Defensive second team, and Alex Caruso All-Defensive third team. These five players were deserving of being on Perkins’ list, but notable players were left off. First up is perennial MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Fire Perk immediately like wtf 🤦 pic.twitter.com/ywWPNjuXhV
— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) August 6, 2025
The 30-year-old was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20. Over four years, Giannis earned four consecutive All-Defensive first-team selections. His last was in 2021-22. In recent years, Antetokounmpo has had to shoulder more of the scoring load for Milwaukee. That’s led to a drop in his defensive production.
Another notable player left off Kendrick Perkins’ list is Miami’s Bam Adebayo. He was snubbed from an All-Defensive team selection in 2024-25. Adebayo had a streak of five consecutive seasons being named to the All-Defensive first or second team. Over his career, Adebayo has been overlooked defensively. However, those who watch the NBA on a nightly basis know Adebayo is a defensive anchor for the Heat.
