Hiram Moreno
Very close to reaching the end of this 2021/22 season of the NBA, the league has selected its best defensive players by position in the NBA All-Defensive Teams. The first team includes several recognized players as well as two other debutants who had outstanding seasons with their respective teams.
Stay with us and join us to find out who the members of these teams are.
NBA All-Defensive First Team
| Players | Team |
| Rudy Gobert | Utah Jazz |
| Gianis Antetokoumpo | Milwaukee Bucks |
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Marcus Smart | Boston Celtics |
| Mikal Bridges | Phoenix Suns |
The first team according to the NBA is full of old acquaintances, but the inclusion of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Mikal Bridges is noteworthy sincethey were chosen for the first time in the league in this category, marking the first time since 2018/19 that two players have appeared on the first team of the NBA All-Defensive Teams in the same season.
Out of these two, it is important to highlight Jackson Jr., who concluded the regular season as the NBA’s block leader with an average of 2.5 per game and was a key member of the Memphis Grizzlies before their postseason elimination.
As regards the rest of them, we have players who are already used to being part of the league’s defensive elite. Gobert has been named to the first team for the sixth straight season, while Antetokoumpo has done so for the past four. On the other hand, Marcus Smart is making his third appearance in the last four seasons, and his outstanding work in the playoffs is assisting Boston in reaching the NBA Finals.
NBA All-Defensive Second Team
| Players | Team |
| Robert Williams | Boston Celtics |
| Draymond Green | Golden State Warriors |
| Bam Adebayo | Miami Heat |
| Matisse Thybulle | Philadelphia 76ers |
| Jrue Holiday | Milwaukee Bucks |
We must also highlight those included in the second team, since it has some quite distinguished names in the league such as Draymond Green, who appears for the seventh time in his career in a team of this category.
Jrue Holiday earned his fourth career pick and second since coming to Milwaukee in 2020. Holiday was tied for seventh-most steals per game this NBA season at 1.8.
Bam Adebayo and Matisse Thybulle are also no strangers to these teams, with the former receiving his third selection and the latter receiving his second. Robert Williams, who has had an outstanding performance for the Boston Celtics, is the sole newcomer.
