The NBA Defensive Player of the Year award is often hailed as one of the most prestigious annual awards given to NBA players since it was introduced in the NBA 1982-83 season. The glorious history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), which spans over decades, has witnessed numerous legendary basketball players, including Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Gary Payton, Dwight Howard and many others who have dominated the opponent teams with their spine-chilling defensive skills on the court. Owing to their successful exploits on the court, a few legendary basketball players have received the prestigious NBA Defensive Player of the Year award multiple times in their glorious careers.
In this article we will take a look at the top four basketball players who have received the highest number of NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in their careers.
Top 4 Players With Most NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards
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Dikembe Mutombo
The legendary former Congolese-American professional basketball player Dikembe Mutombo is at the first spot in our list of the top four iconic players who have clinched the highest number of NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards. Often also popularly referred to as “Mount Mutombo”, Dikembe Mutombo is widely regarded as one of the greatest shot-blockers in the history of the National Basketball Association. Dikembe Mutombo played a total of 18 seasons in the NBA with the six most prominent teams of his era and was named as an NBA All-Star a record total of eight times. Moreover, Dikembe Mutombo was also honoured with the prestigious NBA Defensive Player of the Year award for a record total of four times in the years 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001, which continues to be an unbeaten record as of September 2025.
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Ben Wallace
At the second spot on our list of the top four basketball players who have received the highest number of NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in their careers, we have the late American former professional basketball player Ben Wallace, who spent the majority of his career in the National Basketball Association with the Detroit Pistons. Often popularly referred to as the “Big Ben”, Ben Wallace clinched the coveted championship title in 2004. Often regarded as one of the most lethal players in the history of the National Basketball Association with an unimaginable defensive play, Ben Wallace clinched the prestigious NBA Defensive Player of the Year award a record total of four times in his star-studded NBA career in the years 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006, ranking him at the second spot in our list.
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Dwight Howard
Next, at the third spot on our list of the top four iconic players who have clinched the highest number of NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, we have the trailblazing American former professional basketball player Dwight Howard. Often regarded as one of the most influential players in the history of the National Basketball Association, Dwight Howard clinched the coveted NBA Defensive Player of the Year award thrice in his career in the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. As of September 2025, Dwight Howard continues to be the only professional basketball player in the world to clinch the prestigious award consecutively thrice in his glorious career, speaking volumes about his wavering dominance in the game and the kind of legacy that he has left behind in the league.
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Kawhi Leonard
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four basketball players who have received the highest number of NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in their careers, we have the American professional basketball player Kawhi Leonard, who is currently a part of the Los Angeles Clippers. The two-time NBA champion, Kawhi Leonard, is often also referred to as the “Claw” and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the National Basketball Association with unmatched defensive skills. Throughout his glorious NBA career so far, Kawhi Leonard has been awarded the prestigious NBA Defensive Player of the Year award twice in his career, in the years 2015 and 2016 ranking him at the fourth spot in our list.
