Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant is still yet to make an NBA All-Defensive team in his 16 NBA seasons, as he received only one second-team vote this year.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team: pic.twitter.com/k3FODNJ0YU
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama, Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, New Orleans Pelicans wing Herb Jones and Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis were the first-team selections.
The second team featured Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels and Boston Celtics guards Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
Durant was among eight players to receive a single vote and among 14 to receive less than five  (out of 100 possible).
Durant, who finished ninth in MVP voting this season, had arguably one of his best defensive seasons this year. The 35-year-old finished averaging 1.5 blocks, 0.5 steals and was top-7 among players who played over 65 games (the amount needed to qualify for this award) in DIFF%, per NBA.com. This means players shot 3.7% worse against Durant, listed at 6-foot-11 and 240 pounds, than their usual field goal percentage.
Kevin Durant being snubbed from the All-Defensive Teams is absolutely insane.
His DFG% compared to the league average:
3-pointers — 36.8% (league average – 36.6%)
2-pointers — 48.9% (league average – 54.5%)
< 6 feet — 58.5% (league average – 63.0%)
< 10 feet — 53.2% (league… pic.twitter.com/Y3auRP8K1o— Booker Muse (@DevinBookerMuse) May 21, 2024
Durant had plenty of standout defensive games this season that propelled Phoenix to victories.
Ex-coach Frank Vogel, known as a defensive guru, advocated for Durant to make his first-ever All-Defensive team toward the end of the season,
“Look at the numbers,” Vogel said on April 9. “I think (Durant) should absolutely get First or Second All-Defensive Team. That’s my opinion. I mean, we’ve played small lineups where he’s guarding the biggest 3 (or) 4 each night. He’s guarded the best in the league, not (just) crunch time, (but) for 48 minutes, and has done a great job night in and night out. (He’s) made some great low-man plays throughout the course of the season. He switches on to smaller guards. He’s played small-ball center and defended centers in a natural matchup. He’s really done it all for us. And I’ll be really disappointed if he doesn’t get that.”
Durant is likely on the way to making his 11th All-NBA team (6x First Team, 4x Second Team) tomorrow, but still finds himself without any All-Defensive selections.
Kevin Durant wanted, and excelled, at challenge of guarding LeBron James
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau. Â
