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

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

Table
Year Lg Player DWS Tm
2024 NBA Luka Dončić 1.48 DAL
2023 NBA Anthony Davis 1.43 LAL
2022 NBA Al Horford 1.49 BOS
2021 NBA Giannis Antetokounmpo 1.70 MIL
2020 NBA Jayson Tatum 1.26 BOS
2019 NBA Kawhi Leonard 1.46 TOR
2018 NBA Draymond Green 1.84 GSW
2017 NBA Draymond Green 1.37 GSW
2016 NBA Draymond Green 1.50 GSW
2015 NBA Draymond Green 1.71 GSW
2014 NBA Paul George 1.48 IND
2013 NBA LeBron James 1.48 MIA
2012 NBA LeBron James 1.61 MIA
2011 NBA LeBron James 1.45 MIA
2010 NBA Rajon Rondo 1.75 BOS
2009 NBA Dwight Howard 1.94 ORL
2008 NBA Kevin Garnett* 2.02 BOS
2007 NBA LeBron James 1.63 CLE
2006 NBA Dwyane Wade* 1.98 MIA
2005 NBA Ben Wallace* 2.68 DET
2004 NBA Ben Wallace* 2.76 DET
2003 NBA Tim Duncan* 2.67 SAS
2002 NBA Ben Wallace* 1.28 DET
2001 NBA Shaquille O'Neal* 1.41 LAL
2000 NBA Shaquille O'Neal* 1.08 LAL
1999 NBA David Robinson* 1.74 SAS
1998 NBA Karl Malone* 1.71 UTA
1997 NBA Alonzo Mourning* 1.61 MIA
1996 NBA Scottie Pippen* 1.74 CHI
1995 NBA David Robinson* 1.59 SAS
1994 NBA Patrick Ewing* 2.43 NYK
1993 NBA Charles Barkley* 1.32 PHO
1992 NBA Scottie Pippen* 1.85 CHI
1991 NBA Scottie Pippen* 1.67 CHI
1990 NBA Bill Laimbeer 1.72 DET
1989 NBA Michael Jordan* 1.23 CHI
1988 NBA Isiah Thomas* 2.07 DET
1987 NBA Magic Johnson* 1.09 LAL
1986 NBA Hakeem Olajuwon* 1.65 HOU
1985 NBA Robert Parish* 1.17 BOS
1984 NBA Larry Bird* 1.68 BOS
1983 NBA Moses Malone* 1.20 PHI
1982 NBA Larry Bird* 1.24 BOS
1981 NBA Larry Bird* 1.68 BOS
1980 NBA Julius Erving* 1.23 PHI
1979 NBA Elvin Hayes* 1.19 WSB
1978 NBA Elvin Hayes* 1.67 WSB
1977 NBA Bill Walton* 1.79 POR
1976 NBA Dave Cowens* 1.70 BOS
  ABA Julius Erving* 0.84 NYA
1975 NBA Wes Unseld* 1.36 WSB
  ABA Artis Gilmore* 1.64 KEN
1974 NBA Kareem Abdul-Jabbar* 1.52 MIL
  ABA Gerald Govan 1.38 UTS
1973 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 1.63 LAL
  ABA Mel Daniels* 1.49 INA
1972 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 1.78 LAL
  ABA Mel Daniels* 1.34 INA
1971 NBA Wes Unseld* 1.77 BAL
  ABA Cincy Powell 1.12 KEN
1970 NBA Walt Frazier* 1.51 NYK
  ABA Roger Brown* 1.50 INA
1969 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 1.94 LAL
  ABA Warren Jabali 1.09 OAK
1968 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 1.57 PHI
  ABA Red Robbins 1.12 NOB
1967 NBA Wilt Chamberlain* 1.95 PHI
1966 NBA Bill Russell* 2.25 BOS
1965 NBA Bill Russell* 2.36 BOS
1964 NBA Bill Russell* 2.15 BOS
1963 NBA Bill Russell* 1.81 BOS
1962 NBA Bill Russell* 2.15 BOS
1961 NBA Bill Russell* 1.58 BOS
1960 NBA Bill Russell* 1.83 BOS
1959 NBA Bill Russell* 1.65 BOS
1958 NBA Bill Russell* 1.04 BOS
1957 NBA Bill Russell* 1.48 BOS
1956 NBA George Yardley* 0.79 FTW
1955 NBA Dolph Schayes* 0.95 SYR
1954 NBA George Mikan* 1.48 MNL
1953 NBA George Mikan* 1.36 MNL
1952 NBA George Mikan* 1.50 MNL
1951 NBA Arnie Risen* 1.15 ROC
1950 NBA George Mikan* 1.19 MNL
1949 BAA George Mikan* 0.63 MNL
1948 BAA Howie Dallmar 2.24 PHW
1947 BAA Don Carlson 0.86 CHS