Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley has been named the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2024-25 season, the NBA announced Thursday.

Mobley received 35 of 100 first-place votes, edging out Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

Daniels received 25 first-place votes, and Green received 15 first-place votes.

A former third overall pick out of USC, Mobley is the fifth player to win Defensive Player of the Year at 23 years old. No player has ever won at 22 years old or younger.

Mobley was the defensive anchor for a Cleveland team that won 64 games in the regular season. He averaged 9.3 rebounds, 1.59 blocked shots and 0.86 steals over 71 games.

The Cavs ranked eighth in the league this season in defensive efficiency, allowing 109.0 points per 100 possessions.

Mobley told the media before the season that his goal was to be named the NBA’s top defender.

A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

The complete voting results pic.twitter.com/7eH65d7erV

— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 24, 2025

Last year’s winner, Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, received one third-place vote.

Second-year San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama was the preseason favourite to win the award but played just 46 games due to a blood clotting issue.

This is the third year the NBA has awarded the Defensive Player of the Year with the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy, named after the Houston Rockets great.