By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With the season-ending awards approaching and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year up for grabs, especially after Victor Wembanyama bowed out, O.G. Anunoby confidently placed himself among the candidates.
“There’s no stat for picking up a dribble to pass, or shot attempts,” the 27-year-old British guard/forward of the New York Knicks told reporters, heading to an NBA Saturdays clash with the Atlanta Hawks in State Farm Arena.
“They just always give it to the big men,” Anunoby said, referring to centers dominating the votes and, therefore, the list of DPOY winners.
In 2019, the London native won an NBA championship with the Toronto Raptors. His contributions to defense in that specific season and throughout his career between the Raptors and the Knicks are indeed often overlooked. So far, recognition in season-ending awards is limited to a spot in the 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive Second Team.
“I think I should be on First Team All-Defense. I think I should win Defensive Player of the Year,” he mentioned, “I’ve always felt that way.”
Combining defense with brilliant offense, Anunoby tallied 27.5 points per contest over the last eight outings, helping the team coached by Tom Thibodeau overcome the absence of Jalen Brunson, improve to 48-28 in the 2024-25 Regular Season, and clinch a berth in the 2025 Playoffs presented by Google.
Coming out of Indiana in 2017, he was drafted by the Raptors and spent six years in Toronto before moving to New York via trade in 2023.