NBL Best Defensive Player Award

The National Basketball League Best Defensive Player is an annual National Basketball League (NBL) award given since the 1980 NBL season to the best defensive player of the regular season. As of the 2023–24 season, the head coach, assistant coach and captain of each team vote for the Defensive Player of the Year.[1] Voters are not allowed to vote for players from their own team.[2] The winner receives the Damian Martin Trophy, which was named in honour of Damian Martin[3] who won the award six times.[4][5]

Winners

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Year Player Nationality Team
1980 Ray Wood   Australia West Adelaide Bearcats
1981 Ray Wood (2)   Australia West Adelaide Bearcats
1982 Phil Smyth   Australia St. Kilda Saints
1983 Phil Smyth (2)   Australia Canberra Cannons
1984 N/A N/A N/A
1985 N/A N/A N/A
1986 N/A N/A N/A
1987 Leroy Loggins   United States Brisbane Bullets
1988 Phil Smyth (3)   Australia Canberra Cannons
1989 Phil Smyth (4)   Australia Canberra Cannons
1990 Leroy Loggins (2)   United States Brisbane Bullets
1991 Terry Dozier   United States Geelong Supercats
1992 Terry Dozier (2)   United States Newcastle Falcons
1993 Terry Dozier (3)   United States Newcastle Falcons
1994 Darren Lucas   Australia South East Melbourne Magic
1995 Darren Lucas (2)   Australia South East Melbourne Magic
1996 Isaac Burton   United States Sydney Kings
1997 Mike Kelly   United States South East Melbourne Magic
1998 Mike Kelly (2)   United States South East Melbourne Magic
1998–99 Darnell Mee   United States Adelaide 36ers
1999–2000 Darnell Mee (2)   United States Adelaide 36ers
2000–01 Darnell Mee (3)   United States Adelaide 36ers
2001–02 Simon Dwight   Australia West Sydney Razorbacks
2002–03 Glen Saville   Australia Wollongong Hawks
2003–04 Ben Castle   Australia Brisbane Bullets
2004–05 Darnell Mee (4)   United States Wollongong Hawks
2005–06 Darnell Mee (5)   United States Cairns Taipans
2006–07 Sam Mackinnon   Australia Brisbane Bullets
2007–08 Chris Anstey   Australia Melbourne Tigers
2008–09 Adam Gibson   Australia South Dragons
2009–10 Dillon Boucher   New Zealand New Zealand Breakers
2010–11 Damian Martin   Australia Perth Wildcats
2011–12 Damian Martin (2)   Australia Perth Wildcats
2012–13 Damian Martin (3)   Australia Perth Wildcats
2013–14 Damian Martin (4)   Australia Perth Wildcats
2014–15 Damian Martin (5)   Australia Perth Wildcats
2015–16 Kevin Lisch   United States Illawarra Hawks
2016–17 Torrey Craig   United States Brisbane Bullets
2017–18 Damian Martin (6)   Australia Perth Wildcats
2018–19 Andrew Bogut   Australia Sydney Kings
2019–20 D. J. Newbill   United States Cairns Taipans
2020–21 Justin Simon   United States Illawarra Hawks
2021–22 Antonius Cleveland   United States Illawarra Hawks
2022–23 Antonius Cleveland (2)   United States Adelaide 36ers
2023–24 Shea Ili   New Zealand Melbourne United

References

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  1. ^ "NBL24 MVP finalists revealed". NBL.com.au. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  2. ^ "LISCH DETHRONES MARTIN FOR BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER". NBL.com.au. 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  3. ^ "NBL to Honour Damian Martin". NBL.com.au. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  4. ^ "NBL Awards: Defensive Player of the Year". NBL.com.au. 4 March 2015. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015.
  5. ^ NBL (27 February 2018). "The award may as well be named after him..." Twitter. Retrieved 27 February 2018.