The EuroLeague Best Defender is an annual basketball award of the European premier level EuroLeague. It is awarded to the best defensive player throughout the season, up until the EuroLeague Final Four stage of the season. The award began in the 2004–05 season, and the winner is selected by the EuroLeague's head coaches. Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos Athens, won the first five awards, from 2005 to 2009.
Winners
edit
| Season | Position | Best Defender | Club | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004–05 | PG |  Dimitris Diamantidis
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
| 2005–06 | PG | Dimitris Diamantidis (2x)
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
| 2006–07 | PG | Dimitris Diamantidis (3x)
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
| 2007–08 | PG | Dimitris Diamantidis (4x)
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
| 2008–09 | PG | Dimitris Diamantidis (5x)
|
Panathinaikos
|
|
| 2009–10 | PF |  Victor Khryapa
|
CSKA Moscow
|
[1] |
| 2010–11 | PG | Dimitris Diamantidis (6x)
|
Panathinaikos
|
[2] |
| 2011–12 | SF | Andrei Kirilenko
|
CSKA Moscow
|
[3] |
| 2012–13 | C |  Stéphane Lasme
|
Panathinaikos
|
[4] |
| 2013–14 | C |   Bryant Dunston
|
Olympiacos
|
[5] |
| 2014–15 | C | Bryant Dunston (2x)
|
Olympiacos
|
[6] |
| 2015–16 | C | Kyle Hines
|
CSKA Moscow
|
[7] |
| 2016–17 | SF |  Ádám Hanga
|
 Baskonia
|
[8] |
| 2017–18 | C | Kyle Hines (2x)
|
CSKA Moscow
|
[9] |
| 2018–19 | C |  Edy Tavares
|
Real Madrid
|
[10] |
| 2019–20 | Not awarded 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | C | Edy Tavares (2x)
|
Real Madrid
|
[11] |
| 2021–22 | C | Kyle Hines (3x)
|
 A|X Armani Exchange Milan
|
[12] |
| 2022–23 | C | Edy Tavares (3x)
|
Real Madrid
|
[13] |
| 2023–24 | PG | Thomas Walkup
|
Olympiacos
|
[14] |
Notes:
- ^1 There was no awarding in the 2019–20, because the season was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic in Europe.
Multiple honors
editPlayers
edit| Number | Player |
|---|---|
| 6 | Dimitris Diamantidis
|
| 3 | Kyle Hines
|
| Edy Tavares
| |
| 2 | Bryant Dunston
|
| 1 | Ádám Hanga
|
| Victor Khryapa
| |
| Andrei Kirilenko
| |
| Stéphane Lasme
| |
| Thomas Walkup
|
Player nationality
edit| Number | Country |
|---|---|
| 7 | Greece
|
| 3 | United States
|
| Cape Verde
| |
| 2 | Armenia
|
| Russia
| |
| 1 | Gabon
|
| Hungary
|
Clubs
edit| Number | Club |
|---|---|
| 7 | Panathinaikos
|
| 4 | CSKA Moscow
|
| 3 | Real Madrid
|
| Olympiacos
| |
| 1 | Baskonia
|
| Olimpia Milano
|
References
edit- ^ Best Defender Trophy: Viktor Khryapa, CSKA Moscow.
- ^ Dimitris Diamantidis wins sixth Best Defender Trophy.
- ^ Best Defender Trophy: Andrei Kirilenko, CSKA Moscow.
- ^ Best Defender Trophy winner: Stephane Lasme, Panathinaikos Athens.
- ^ "Coaches vote Bryant Dunston of Olympiacos this season's Best Defender". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
- ^ "2014-15 Best Defender Trophy winner: Bryant Dunston, Olympiacos Piraeus". Retrieved 6 May 2015.
- ^ Best Defender Trophy: Kyle Hines, CSKA Moscow.
- ^ Adam Hanga of Baskonia captures Best Defender Trophy.
- ^ "EuroLeague Best Defender: Kyle Hines, CSKA Moscow". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 10 May 2018.
- ^ "EuroLeague Best Defender: Walter Tavares, Real Madrid". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
- ^ "Real's Tavares repeats as EuroLeague Best Defender". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Kyle Hines is the 2021-22 EuroLeague Best Defender". Euroleague.net. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ^ "Walter Tavares is the 2022-23 EuroLeague Best Defender | EuroLeague". Euroleague Basketball. Retrieved 2023-05-13.
- ^ "Thomas Walkup of Olympiacos is voted the 2023-24 EuroLeague Best Defender | EuroLeague". Euroleague Basketball. 2024-05-11. Retrieved 2024-05-11.