NBA & ABA Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Defensive Win Shares

Active players are listed in bold
* Indicates member of the Hall of Fame.

Table
Season Lg Player DWS Tm
2023-24 NBA Rudy Gobert 5.85 MIN
2022-23 NBA Evan Mobley 4.84 CLE
2021-22 NBA Jayson Tatum 4.61 BOS
2020-21 NBA Rudy Gobert 5.23 UTA
2019-20 NBA Giannis Antetokounmpo 5.02 MIL
2018-19 NBA Andre Drummond 5.86 DET
2017-18 NBA Andre Drummond 5.73 DET
2016-17 NBA Rudy Gobert 5.98 UTA
2015-16 NBA Paul Millsap 6.04 ATL
2014-15 NBA DeAndre Jordan 5.39 LAC
2013-14 NBA Joakim Noah 6.63 CHI
2012-13 NBA Paul George 6.28 IND
2011-12 NBA Josh Smith 4.90 ATL
2010-11 NBA Dwight Howard 7.68 ORL
2009-10 NBA Dwight Howard 7.13 ORL
2008-09 NBA Dwight Howard 7.56 ORL
2007-08 NBA Dwight Howard 6.45 ORL
2006-07 NBA Tim Duncan* 6.78 SAS
2005-06 NBA Tim Duncan* 6.88 SAS
2004-05 NBA Ben Wallace* 6.72 DET
2003-04 NBA Ben Wallace* 9.08 DET
2002-03 NBA Ben Wallace* 7.85 DET
2001-02 NBA Ben Wallace* 7.24 DET
2000-01 NBA Tim Duncan* 7.07 SAS
1999-00 NBA Shaquille O'Neal* 6.99 LAL
1998-99 NBA Tim Duncan* 4.68 SAS
1997-98 NBA Tim Duncan* 7.17 SAS
1996-97 NBA Patrick Ewing* 6.87 NYK
1995-96 NBA David Robinson* 7.19 SAS
1994-95 NBA David Robinson* 6.74 SAS
1993-94 NBA Patrick Ewing* 7.98 NYK
1992-93 NBA Patrick Ewing* 8.05 NYK
1991-92 NBA Dennis Rodman* 7.00 DET
1990-91 NBA David Robinson* 7.64 SAS
1989-90 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 8.74 HOU
1988-89 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 7.81 HOU
1987-88 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 6.32 HOU
1986-87 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 6.02 HOU
1985-86 NBA Larry Bird* 6.17 BOS
1984-85 NBA Mark Eaton 6.75 UTA
1983-84 NBA Larry Bird* 5.62 BOS
1982-83 NBA Rick Mahorn 6.20 WSB
1981-82 NBA Jack Sikma* 6.74 SEA
1980-81 NBA Larry Bird* 6.10 BOS
1979-80 NBA Larry Bird* 5.61 BOS
1978-79 NBA Jack Sikma* 5.74 SEA
1977-78 NBA Truck Robinson 5.02 NOJ
1976-77 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 5.92 LAL
1975-76 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 7.19 LAL
  ABA Julius Erving* 6.01 NYA
1974-75 NBA Elvin Hayes* 8.16 WSB
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 8.27 KEN
1973-74 NBA Elvin Hayes* 8.07 CAP
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 7.90 KEN
1972-73 NBA Dave Cowens* 9.85 BOS
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 9.81 KEN
1971-72 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 7.90 LAL
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 7.15 KEN
1970-71 NBA Elvin Hayes* 7.06 SDR
  ABA Gerald Govan 7.04 MMP
1969-70 NBA Willis Reed* 7.45 NYK
  ABA Spencer Haywood* 7.48 DNR
1968-69 NBA Bill Russell* 9.87 BOS
  ABA Trooper Washington 4.96 MNP
1967-68 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 10.73 PHI
  ABA Mel Daniels* 9.11 MNM
1966-67 NBA Bill Russell* 9.22 BOS
1965-66 NBA Bill Russell* 11.37 BOS
1964-65 NBA Bill Russell* 14.43 BOS
1963-64 NBA Bill Russell* 15.96 BOS
1962-63 NBA Bill Russell* 12.55 BOS
1961-62 NBA Bill Russell* 11.64 BOS
1960-61 NBA Bill Russell* 11.33 BOS
1959-60 NBA Bill Russell* 8.93 BOS
1958-59 NBA Bill Russell* 8.19 BOS
1957-58 NBA Bill Russell* 7.68 BOS
1956-57 NBA Maurice Stokes* 6.81 ROC
1955-56 NBA Maurice Stokes* 5.86 ROC
1954-55 NBA Dolph Schayes* 5.68 SYR
1953-54 NBA George Mikan* 6.57 MNL
1952-53 NBA George Mikan* 6.90 MNL
1951-52 NBA George Mikan* 7.97 MNL
1950-51 NBA George Mikan* 7.43 MNL
1949-50 NBA George Mikan* 5.80 MNL
1948-49 BAA Andy Phillip* 4.34 CHS
1947-48 BAA Howie Dallmar 4.57 PHW
1946-47 BAA Stan Miasek 5.65 DTF