Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons received one first place vote for Defensive Player of the Year.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ 2019-20 season was marred by incompetence, but one consistently positive force was Ben Simmons‘ defense. He led the Sixers on that end, showcasing unmatched versatility at 6-foot-10.
With elite lateral quickness, impeccable instincts, and the strength to cage even the strongest opponents, Simmons was as dominant a force as any on the defensive end this season. It’s only right that he finished top-five in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Here is the final vote tally, as released by the NBA.
Here are the voting results for DPOY. Clear advantage for Giannis, but Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert were neck-and-neck for third, followed by Ben Simmons and Bam Adebayo pic.twitter.com/8ZU12NKJX8
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) August 25, 2020
Simmons finished fourth, with one first-place vote, five second-place votes, and 12 third-place votes. He was 15 points ahead of Bam Adebayo, who finished fifth.
While Simmons was never going to seriously contend with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, or Rudy Gobert, this is certainly the first of many appearances on this list for Simmons. He figures to be a prominent Defensive Player of the Year contender for years to come. Expect a top-three finish sooner than later.
There’s an argument to be made that Simmons is the best on-ball defender in the NBA. He can bottle up quick-twitch point guards, chase shooters around screens, or battle one-on-one. His activity level is constant.
In addition to his stifling on-ball presence, Simmons has tremendous awareness off the ball. He frequently explodes into passing lanes, using his 7-foot wingspan to create turnovers and, by extension, kickstart the Sixers’ transition offense. Simmons led the NBA with 2.1 steals per game.
Simmons spent more time defending All-Stars than anyone else in basketball. He also defends all five positions on a regular basis — truly unprecedented versatility, even by modern NBA standards. He has the size to check Karl-Anthony Towns, the strength to combat Kawhi Leonard, and the speed to chase Kemba Walker. He is the quintessential Swiss Army Knife on defense.
Expect Simmons to find a spot on first team All-Defense. And, as soon as next season, get ready for him to compete for a victory in the Defensive Player of the Year race.