The NBA recently announced its 2017-2018 All-Defensive Teams.

The All-Defensive Teams are made of the elite defenders of the 2017-2018 regular season. The players selected for All-Defensive teams helped their teams on the defensive end, and they also gave opposing teams a hard time. Whether it was steals, blocks, or guarding the best player on opposing teams, each All-Defensive team member was a factor on the defensive end.

The All-Defensive First teams features Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington, New Orleans Pelicans forward/center Anthony Davis, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, and Indiana Pacers guard Victor Olapido.

This is Rudy Gobert’s second straight year as a member of All-Defensive First team. In a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters, Gobert received 94 First team votes. Gobert, alongside Anthony Davis, is a finalist for the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. The winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award will be announced at the NBA Awards on June 25th.

Anthony Davis is no stranger to making All-Defensive Teams. He made All-Defensive Second Team in 2015 and 2017. However, this was the first time Davis made All-Defensive First team.

Davis led the league in blocks in the regular season. He averaged 2.6 blocks. Anthony Davis is joined by his Pelican’s teammate Jrue Holiday, who is also a first time All-Defensive First team member. In fact, Holiday is a first time All-Defensive team member period, be it first or second team.

The All-Defensive Second team features Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, Boston Celtics forward Al Horford, San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray, and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Jimmy Butler. Draymond Green was apart of the All-Defensive First team for three straight years. This year snaps his streak. Green is also last year’s Defensive Player of the Year. He did not make first team this year, but his defensive presence was still recognized in this year’s All-Defensive teams selections.

Both the First and Second teams have great defenders. For some players, this is their first time making either team. But, I doubt this will be their last time. The All-Defensive teams have names we are familiar with such as Anthony Davis and Draymond Green, but others we may not be familiar with. We know that Davis and Green are good on the defensive end, but now we can become familiar with (even) younger players effective on the defensive end such as Dejounte Murray of the Spurs. If players such as Murray or Joel Embiid continue being the defenders that they are, we will see them on All-Defensive teams in the future.

Congrats to all players (first time and multiple time) who were selected for both teams.