No. 3: Ben Simmons
2017-18 defensive stats: 1.7 steals, 0.9 blocks, 3.6 defensive box +/-, five defensive win shares
Simmons surprised many people with his defensive ability in his rookie year. One could describe his defensive effort as LSU as “relaxed” or maybe even “lazy”, but his NBA defending has been the polar opposite.
The Australian stud had to guard all five positions routinely over the span of the season, and he never looked outmatched, mostly thanks to his 6-foot-10, 238-pound frame paired with his freakish athleticism. He also cracked the top-10 in the NBA in steals per game with Robert Covington, as the two finished eighth and ninth respectively.
The Sixers should feel grateful that Simmons is not merely an average defender, but a potential lockdown one. No one expected him to instantly be such a game changer on that end and it makes the Sixers a much more complete team since no other squad in their right mind would want to play against a duo of wing defenders as solid as Simmons and Covington.
Philly’s Fresh Prince is a true embodiment of the modern five-position defender. He’s quick enough to stay with the likes of John Wall or Steph Curry but strong enough to hold his own down low against big men, too. His defensive versatility fits flawlessly into Coach Brown’s switching defense since he does not get exposed when he guards any of the five positions, and that helps create positive mismatches for Philly, which creates steals, which lead to more fast-break jams from the Aussie.