The NBA has announced the Kia All-Defense Teams for the 2025-26 season, and to no one’s surprise, that includes the youngest and first ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, on the First Team. This is the second time Wemby has earned the honor after making First Team his rookie season in 2o24. He likely would have made it last season had he met the 65-game threshold, but his season was cut short by deep vein thrombosis. He received all 1oo first place votes as the only unanimous player
and is joined by Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson, Rudy Gobert and former Spur Derrick White.
Wemby led the NBA in blocks with 197 (just over three per game) while totaling 66 steals in the regular season, and he finished second in the league in defensive rating (110.4) and defensive rebounds (9.5). He also became the unofficial inventor of the “nope”, i.e. when a player drives but decides to turnaround or not even attempt a shot that many would consider open or close to it due to his presence.
The second team included Bam Adebayo, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes and Dyson Daniels (list in order of votes received). Just missing by two points was Spurs guard Stephon Castle, who finished tied for 11th place win Amen Thompson with 48 points. Both received 5 first-team votes and 36 second-team votes. He is widely considered one of the top defense guards in the league with 112.6 defensive rating, 1.1 steals per game, and the Spurs allowed 4.7 fewer points with him on the floor per 100 possessions, which ranked among the top 10 guards in the league.
While it didn’t happen this year, Castle is bound to make it soon. If he and Wemby make it in the same season, they would be the the first Spurs duo since the 2016-17 season, when Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green made First and Second Team, respectively. The last time they had two players make the First team in the same season was Tim Duncan and Bruce Bowen in the 2007-08 season, so those are some goals for the two members of the Spurs’ young core to strive for.
