Creating Top 5 lists is a staple in NBA debates, whether it’s ranking the best players of all time or the greatest shooters in history. This time, Andre Iguodala, a four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors and a former Defensive Player of the Year candidate, revealed his top five defenders of all time.
Despite never winning the Defensive Player of the Year award, Iguodala was a dominant defensive presence throughout his 19-year NBA career. He even finished fifth in DPOY voting in 2014, tying with LeBron James and Serge Ibaka. On a recent episode of The OGs Podcast, Iguodala shared his picks for the most elite defenders the league has ever seen.
“I got Scottie [Pippen], 100%, for sure. I gotta put Hakeem [Olajuwon] up there. Hakeem got a quadruple-double. Hakeem is different,” Iguodala said, making his first two selections.
Initially, Iguodala named John Stockton for his third spot but quickly swapped him for another legendary point guard. “I gotta put it up to John Stockton. Ah, I’m lying, you know I’m putting Chris Paul there. Chris Paul is like that,” he explained. For his fourth spot, Iguodala went with who he believes is the best defender in NBA history: “He’s the best defender of all time to me—Dennis Rodman,” he declared.
Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls argues with an official during a playoff game against the Miami Heat. (Andy Lyons /Allsport/ Getty Images)
Finally, he rounded out his list with former Lakers star and three-time DPOY winner Dwight Howard. “I saw Scottie do something that’s never been done before. Chris Paul definitely doesn’t get enough credit. Dennis Rodman might be the best defensive player of all time,” Iguodala said. “And then Hakeem was just—people don’t know how good Hakeem was. Hakeem was different. And then Dwight”.
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Former Warriors star Andre Iguodala reveals his all-time NBA teammate starting five
Why Iguodala doesn’t include himself
Despite being one of the NBA’s most reliable defenders over nearly two decades, Iguodala doesn’t consider himself worthy of a spot on his list. “I never say I’m really good at something,” Iguodala said. “I always say, like, I’m not worthy of none of that. I was really good at defense, but I’m not putting myself up there. I was really good at defense”.
Iguodala’s humility aside, his defensive skills played a key role in securing championships for the Warriors and earning him Finals MVP honors in 2015. While he may not rank himself among the greatest defenders of all time, his contributions to the game speak for themselves.
