Scottie Barnes hasn’t forgotten. He hasn’t forgotten finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. He hasn’t forgotten that he became the only player in the NBA last season to record at least 100 steals and 100 blocks. And he definitely has not forgotten being left off the All-Defensive First Team. Barnes made that pretty clear at Raptors Media Day.
“I know I’m one of the best defensive players in the world. I make an impact on that end every single night. It’s whatever. I don’t want to say how I really feel. It felt kinda disrespectful… I’ll be on it this year for sure,” Barnes said.
Last season, unfortunately, the voters put him on the Second Team, while Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert and Derrick White earned First Team honours. Barnes had a pretty strong case of his own.
He finished the season with 114 steals and 116 blocks, becoming the only player in the league to reach triple digits in both categories. He also finished fifth in DPOY voting, further establishing himself as one of the NBA’s premier two-way defenders.
However, making the First Team isn’t simply about how good Barnes is. It’s about who else is good enough to take those spots. And there are plenty of defenders coming for them. If Barnes is serious about making the jump from Second Team to First Team, these are the five players who could make his path significantly more difficult.
1. Victor Wembanyama
This one is the easiest to have on the list. If Wembanyama stays healthy and reaches the 65-game requirement, it’s difficult to imagine a world where he isn’t on the First Team.
The Spurs superstar became the youngest Defensive Player of the Year in NBA history last season and did so unanimously. His 3.1 blocks per game led the league, while his 197 total blocks gave him his second consecutive blocks title.
Barnes isn’t necessarily competing with Wembanyama for the same type of defensive impact, but that’s almost irrelevant. There are only five First Team spots, and Wembanyama is occupying one of them unless something goes seriously wrong.
2. OG Anunoby
This might be the most interesting name on the list for Raptors fans. Anunoby has already established himself as one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, but he’s never broken through to the All-Defensive First Team.
He’s made the Second Team twice. Once last season with the New York Knicks and previously in 2022-23 with the Raptors. If there were ever a season for Anunoby to finally make the leap, this feels like it.
Coming off a championship season with the Knicks, Anunoby enters the year with as much momentum as he’s ever had. He’s capable of taking on some of the league’s toughest assignments and gives voters the kind of versatile defensive resume that can be difficult to ignore.
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
This one might surprise some people. Giannis hasn’t looked like the defensive force he was at his peak in recent seasons. Last year, he averaged a career-low 0.7 blocks per game, and he is coming off back-to-back seasons averaging less than one steal per game.
That’s a long way from the Giannis who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2019-20. But that’s exactly why he’s a threat. The move to Miami could give Antetokounmpo something he hasn’t had in a while: a reason to remind everyone just how dominant he can be defensively.
The Heat went all-in to acquire him and sacrificed significant depth to do it. Miami is going to need Giannis to dominate on both ends if it wants to survive a loaded Eastern Conference. He’ll also have Bam Adebayo beside him, giving Miami another elite defensive presence. If the Heat finish with a top-three or so defence, and are better than the Raptors, it’s very possible Antetokounpmo gets the nod over Barnes.
Adebayo also deserves an honourable mention here; he’s already made six All-Defensive teams, including First Team in 2023-24, but this is Giannis’ team now. If he rediscovers his defensive peak, Barnes could have another major obstacle in his way.
4. Jaden McDaniels
McDaniels doesn’t have the resume of some of the names above him, but that’s what makes him particularly interesting. He’s already made an All-Defensive Second Team, doing so in 2023-24, and his defensive performance during last year’s playoffs showed just how much trouble he can cause when he’s locked in.
Now, his opportunity could be even bigger. The Minnesota Timberwolves moved on from Julius Randle and Naz Reid, leaving them with less frontcourt depth and potentially more responsibility for McDaniels. At his best, McDaniels can defend virtually anywhere on the floor. That’s incredibly valuable.
It’s also important to note that with LaMelo Ball now in the picture, Minnesota is going to need as much defensive help as it can get. If McDaniels turns last postseason’s defensive intensity into a full-season performance, he could definitely be a contender to make this list.
5. Chet Holmgren
Holmgren is another big threat to Barnes simply because we’ve already seen him beat him out. He finished second in last season’s DPOY voting and earned a spot on the All-Defensive First Team.
When healthy, Holmgren is one of the most impactful defenders in basketball, anchoring the league’s best defence and serving as one of the NBA’s premier rim protectors alongside Wembanyama.
There is also another reason to expect an even bigger defensive season from him. The Oklahoma City Thunder no longer has the luxury of leaning on Lu Dort as its primary point-of-attack stopper after moving on from him. That puts even more pressure on Holmgren to erase mistakes behind the defence.
Honourable mentions
Kawhi Leonard, Ausar Thompson, Amen Thompson, Derrick White, Bam Adebayo, Rudy Gobert, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dyson Daniels all have legitimate cases to enter the conversation.
Barnes’ individual numbers were impressive enough last season to make his omission from the First Team feel frustrating from his perspective. But if Barnes wants to make good on his promise from Media Day, he can’t simply repeat what he did last season. He may have to be even better. Luckily for him, he has the tools and talent to do it.
