SAN ANTONIO (May 25, 2016) – The NBA today announced that Kawhi Leonard, the 2015-16 Defensive Player of the Year, has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the second consecutive season. The NBA Defensive Player of the Year in each of the last two seasons receives his third straight selection overall, after being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2013-14. Leonard was one of two players in the league this season to record at least 125 steals and 70 blocks, along with Atlanta’s Paul Millsap, averaging 1.78 steals and a career-best 0.99 blocks. The fifth-year forward also averaged a career-high 21.1 points to go along with 6.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 33.1 minutes while shooting .506 (551-1,090) from the floor and a personal-best .443 (129-291) from beyond the arc and .874 (292-334) from the free throw line. Leonard helped pilot the Spurs defense that allowed a league-best 92.9 points per game and held their opponents under 100 points in 62 contests, guiding the Silver and Black to a franchise-best 67-15 record. San Antonio held their opponents under 100 points per game for a NBA record 21st straight season and reached the playoffs for the 19th consecutive year, the longest active streak and fourth-best in league history. The only Spur to ever win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, Leonard is the first San Antonio player to be named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in back-to-back seasons since Tim Duncan in 2007 and 2008. The Spurs have now been represented on the NBA All-Defensive Team in 27 of the last 30 seasons. Below are the balloting results for the 2015-16 NBA All-Defensive Teams. The balloting was tabulated by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP. 2015-16 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM Position Player, Team 1st Team 2nd Team Total Votes (2 pts) Votes (1pt) Points Forward Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio 130 -- 260 Forward Draymond Green, Golden State 123 5 251 Center DeAndre Jordan, L.A. Clippers 47 43 137 Guard Avery Bradley, Boston 62 25 149 Guard Chris Paul, L.A. Clippers 59 30 148 2015-16 NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM Position Player, Team 1st Team 2nd Team Total Votes (2 pts) Votes (1pt) Points Forward Paul Millsap, Atlanta 11 75 97 Forward Paul George, Indiana 5 38 48 Center Hassan Whiteside, Miami 44 38 126 Guard Tony Allen, Memphis 44 33 121 Guard Jimmy Butler, Chicago 18 26 62 Other players receiving votes, with point totals (First Team votes in parentheses): Rudy Gobert, Utah, 64 (17); Klay Thompson, Golden State, 49 (16); Jae Crowder, Boston, 47 (3); LeBron James, Cleveland, 43 (5); Kyle Lowry, Toronto, 43 (9); Danny Green, San Antonio, 39 (9); Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City, 35 (12); Tim Duncan, San Antonio, 33 (5); Ricky Rubio, Minnesota, 30 (6); Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Detroit, 27 (3); Anthony Davis, New Orleans, 24 (3); Andre Drummond, Detroit, 14 (5); Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City, 14 (1); Stephen Curry, Golden State, 13 (3); Andre Iguodala, Golden State, 13 (3); Patrick Beverley, Houston, 11 (1); Al Horford, Atlanta, 7 (1); Marcus Smart, Boston, 7 (2); John Wall, Washington, 6; Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee, 3; Trevor Ariza, Houston, 3; Kent Bazemore, Atlanta, 3; Andrew Bogut, Golden State, 3 (1); DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento, 3 (1); Nicolas Batum, Charlotte, 2; Victor Oladipo, Orlando, 2 (1);LaMarcus Aldridge, San Antonio, 1; Harrison Barnes, Golden State, 1; Bismack Biyombo, Toronto, 1; Mike Conley, Memphis, 1; Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City, 1; Derrick Favors, Utah, 1; George Hill, Indiana, 1; Wesley Matthews, Dallas, 1; Luc Mbah a Moute, Los Angeles Clippers; Kristaps Porzingis, New York, 1; Andre Roberson, Oklahoma City, 1; Mike Scott, Atlanta, 1; Dwyane Wade, Miami, 1.
KAWHI LEONARD NAMED TO NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
May 25, 20162:09 PM CDT