There are certain things in life that you never really appreciate until they aren't there anymore. The internet wasn't always there to answer life's burning questions, and without electricity, our smartphones would be nothing more than expensive paperweights. Similarly, most fans don't fully appreciate defense because offense is so easy to quantify. A guy who scores 30 points a game has to be good, but what about the one who takes points off the board by doing the little things?
It's time to show some appreciation for the not-so-glamorous work. In an effort to right a wrong that is far too common among us, we're checking out the odds at TAB for NBA Defensive Player of the Year, a futures market that should see plenty of fluctuations from now until the regular season ends in April.
One of the main things about DPOY is that the board is always fairly top-heavy. As usual, we see some familiar faces at the top of this year's race, notably early-favorite Rudy Gobert, who has won the award three times in the past six years.
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Perhaps more than any other trophy the NBA has to offer, DPOY best represents the game itself in being an award of runs. Throughout history, there's almost always been one player that's dominated for a certain stretch. The 1990s were defined by Dennis Rodman, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Dikembe Mutombo. The 2000s and '10s saw Ben Wallace, Dwight Howard, Kawhi Leonard, and Gobert. Bottom line, it's not often that a long shot can catapult into contention, leaving us watching the top of the board.
At the end of the day though, even the most slam dunk pick can still fall short if injuries, trades, slumps, or plenty of other factors creep into the conversation. With that in mind, please remember to play responsibly. There's a lot that can change between October and April.
Who do you think will ultimately claim the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy? Here's what the odds look like via TAB.
2024 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds
| Player | Odds |
| Rudy Gobert | $2.50 |
| Anthony Davis | $7 |
| Evan Mobley | $9 |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | $13 |
| Bam Adebayo | $13 |
| Brook Lopez | $13 |
| Chet Holmgren | $17 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | $19 |
| Victor Wembanyama | $21 |
| Jrue Holiday | $23 |
| Kristaps Porzingis | $24 |
| OG Anunoby | $24 |
| Joel Embiid | $26 |
| Herbert Jones | $41 |
| Draymond Green | $41 |
| Mitchell Robinson | $51 |
| Jarrett Allen | $51 |
| Walker Kessler | $51 |
| Mikal Bridges | $51 |
| Nic Claxton | $51 |
| Alex Caruso | $67 |
| Onyeka Okongwu | $67 |
| Kawhi Leonard | $67 |
| Anthony Edwards | $67 |
| Luguentz Dort | $67 |
| Jaden McDaniels | $67 |
| Dillon Brooks | $81 |
| Derrick White | $81 |
| Clint Capela | $81 |
| Dejounte Murray | $81 |
| Deandre Ayton | $81 |
| Myles Turner | $81 |
| Marcus Smart | $81 |
| Nikola Jokic | $101 |
| Josh Hart | $101 |
| Jayson Tatum | $101 |
| Jakob Poeltl | $101 |
| Aaron Gordon | $101 |
| Jimmy Butler | $101 |
| Kevin Durant | $126 |
| Jaylen Brown | $151 |
| LeBron James | $201 |
