NBA & ABA Year-by-Year Combined (Regular Season + Playoffs) Leaders and Records for Defensive Win Shares

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

Table
Season Lg Player Tot DWS Reg DWS Play DWS Tm
2025-26 NBA Victor Wembanyama 6.84 5.02 1.82 SAS
2024-25 NBA Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 6.18 4.80 1.38 OKC
2023-24 NBA Rudy Gobert 6.58 5.85 0.73 MIN
2022-23 NBA Jayson Tatum 5.40 4.34 1.06 BOS
2021-22 NBA Jayson Tatum 6.07 4.61 1.47 BOS
2020-21 NBA Rudy Gobert 5.50 5.23 0.27 UTA
2019-20 NBA Anthony Davis 5.61 4.40 1.21 LAL
2018-19 NBA Giannis Antetokounmpo 6.80 5.50 1.30 MIL
2017-18 NBA Andre Drummond 5.73 5.73 0.00 DET
2016-17 NBA Draymond Green 6.77 5.40 1.37 GSW
2015-16 NBA Paul Millsap 6.65 6.04 0.62 ATL
2014-15 NBA Draymond Green 6.88 5.17 1.71 GSW
2013-14 NBA Paul George 7.86 6.38 1.48 IND
2012-13 NBA Paul George 7.26 6.28 0.98 IND
2011-12 NBA LeBron James 6.09 4.48 1.61 MIA
2010-11 NBA Dwight Howard* 8.27 7.68 0.59 ORL
2009-10 NBA Dwight Howard* 8.58 7.13 1.46 ORL
2008-09 NBA Dwight Howard* 9.51 7.56 1.94 ORL
2007-08 NBA Kevin Garnett* 8.27 6.25 2.02 BOS
2006-07 NBA Tim Duncan* 8.18 6.78 1.39 SAS
2005-06 NBA Ben Wallace* 8.23 6.86 1.37 DET
2004-05 NBA Ben Wallace* 9.40 6.72 2.68 DET
2003-04 NBA Ben Wallace* 11.84 9.08 2.76 DET
2002-03 NBA Ben Wallace* 9.88 7.85 2.03 DET
2001-02 NBA Ben Wallace* 8.52 7.24 1.28 DET
2000-01 NBA Tim Duncan* 8.20 7.07 1.13 SAS
1999-00 NBA Shaquille O'Neal* 8.07 6.99 1.08 LAL
1998-99 NBA Tim Duncan* 6.34 4.68 1.65 SAS
1997-98 NBA Tim Duncan* 7.82 7.17 0.65 SAS
1996-97 NBA Patrick Ewing* 7.57 6.87 0.70 NYK
1995-96 NBA David Robinson* 7.63 7.19 0.44 SAS
1994-95 NBA David Robinson* 8.33 6.74 1.59 SAS
1993-94 NBA Patrick Ewing* 10.40 7.98 2.43 NYK
1992-93 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 9.18 7.95 1.22 HOU
1991-92 NBA Patrick Ewing* 8.10 6.94 1.16 NYK
1990-91 NBA David Robinson* 7.92 7.64 0.28 SAS
1989-90 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 9.04 8.74 0.30 HOU
1988-89 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 8.17 7.81 0.36 HOU
1987-88 NBA Karl Malone* 6.86 6.09 0.78 UTA
1986-87 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 6.85 6.02 0.84 HOU
1985-86 NBA Larry Bird* 7.69 6.17 1.51 BOS
1984-85 NBA Mark Eaton 7.11 6.75 0.36 UTA
1983-84 NBA Larry Bird* 7.30 5.62 1.68 BOS
1982-83 NBA Moses Malone* 7.18 5.98 1.20 PHI
1981-82 NBA Jack Sikma* 7.38 6.74 0.64 SEA
1980-81 NBA Larry Bird* 7.78 6.10 1.68 BOS
1979-80 NBA Caldwell Jones 6.52 5.44 1.08 PHI
1978-79 NBA Jack Sikma* 6.85 5.74 1.11 SEA
1977-78 NBA Elvin Hayes* 6.48 4.81 1.67 WSB
1976-77 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 6.82 5.92 0.91 LAL
1975-76 NBA Dave Cowens* 7.34 5.64 1.70 BOS
1975-76 ABA Julius Erving* 6.85 6.01 0.84 NYA
1974-75 NBA Elvin Hayes* 9.43 8.16 1.27 WSB
1974-75 ABA Artis Gilmore* 9.91 8.27 1.64 KEN
1973-74 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 9.41 7.89 1.52 MIL
1973-74 ABA Artis Gilmore* 8.63 7.90 0.73 KEN
1972-73 NBA Dave Cowens* 10.57 9.85 0.72 BOS
1972-73 ABA Artis Gilmore* 11.24 9.81 1.43 KEN
1971-72 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 9.68 7.90 1.78 LAL
1971-72 ABA Artis Gilmore* 7.33 7.15 0.18 KEN
1970-71 NBA Wes Unseld* 7.65 5.88 1.77 BAL
1970-71 ABA Gerald Govan 7.53 7.04 0.49 MMP
1969-70 NBA Willis Reed* 8.88 7.45 1.43 NYK
1969-70 ABA Spencer Haywood* 8.57 7.48 1.09 DNR
1968-69 NBA Bill Russell* 11.10 9.87 1.23 BOS
1968-69 ABA Mel Daniels* 5.51 4.36 1.15 INA
1967-68 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 12.30 10.73 1.57 PHI
1967-68 ABA Mel Daniels* 10.18 9.11 1.07 MNM
1966-67 NBA Bill Russell* 9.91 9.22 0.69 BOS
1965-66 NBA Bill Russell* 13.62 11.37 2.25 BOS
1964-65 NBA Bill Russell* 16.78 14.41 2.36 BOS
1963-64 NBA Bill Russell* 18.11 15.96 2.15 BOS
1962-63 NBA Bill Russell* 14.36 12.55 1.81 BOS
1961-62 NBA Bill Russell* 13.79 11.64 2.15 BOS
1960-61 NBA Bill Russell* 12.91 11.33 1.58 BOS
1959-60 NBA Bill Russell* 10.76 8.93 1.83 BOS
1958-59 NBA Bill Russell* 9.84 8.19 1.65 BOS
1957-58 NBA Bill Russell* 8.71 7.68 1.04 BOS
1956-57 NBA Maurice Stokes* 6.81 6.81 0.00 ROC
1955-56 NBA Maurice Stokes* 5.86 5.86 0.00 ROC
1954-55 NBA Dolph Schayes* 6.63 5.68 0.95 SYR
1953-54 NBA George Mikan* 8.04 6.57 1.48 MNL
1952-53 NBA George Mikan* 8.26 6.90 1.36 MNL
1951-52 NBA George Mikan* 9.47 7.97 1.50 MNL
1950-51 NBA George Mikan* 7.68 7.43 0.25 MNL
1949-50 NBA George Mikan* 6.99 5.80 1.19 MNL
1948-49 BAA Andy Phillip* 4.54 4.34 0.20 CHS
1947-48 BAA Howie Dallmar 6.81 4.57 2.24 PHW
1946-47 BAA Stan Miasek 5.65 5.65 0.00 DTF