Picking the All-NBA, All-Rookie, and All-Defense teams for the 2023-24 season
By Ben Handler
All-Defense
First Team
Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans
Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls
This was a ridiculously difficult exercise but I feel good about this list. The positionless nature of these teams has changed things a bit but I went with my top three DPOY candidates, three elite rim protectors in Rudy Gobert, Wemby, and Bam. Those were the three best overall defenders this season in my opinion.
Then I took Herb Jones, the best wing defender in the league for my money. He has almost single-handedly made the Pelicans a top-10 defense, which is pretty crazy for a non-big man. And then Alex Caruso is the best guard defender in the NBA, so those two rounded out my first team.
Second Team
Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic
Jaden McDaniels, Minnesota Timberwolves
Derrick White, Boston Celtics
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
The second team was even tougher as there were about 25 other worthy candidates. White and Suggs were do-it-all defensive engines for their teams from the guard position. McDaniels was just a tick behind Herb as the best wing defender in the league this year.
KD’s defense continues to be underrated and he did everything the Suns needed this season, guarding perimeter players plus logging heavy minutes at center. Anthony Davis had one of the best seasons of his career and anchored a Lakers defense that kept the team afloat this year.
There were so many tough omissions but some other guys I considered included Jrue Holiday, Jonathan Isaac, Chet Holmgren, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lu Dort, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.