The National Basketball Association announced Tuesday that forward O.G. Anunoby has been named to the 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive Second Team. This marks Anunoby’s first All-Defensive Team selection, and he becomes just the second player in franchise history to earn the honour, joining Kawhi Leonard who was also voted to the second team in 2018-19.
Anunoby averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, and career highs in both steals (1.91) and blocks (0.75), in 67 games this season. He led the NBA in steals per game and total steals (128), becoming the first Raptor to achieve either feat. Anunoby joined Marcus Camby (blocks per game in 1997-98) as the only players in Raptors history to lead the NBA in a major-five category - points, rebounds, assists, steals, or blocks.
A native of Jefferson City, Missouri, Anunoby was one of just two players in the NBA to tally 120+ steals and 50+ blocks this season, along with Anthony Edwards, and ranked third in the league with 241 total deflections. He recorded five or more steals five times, including three straight games early in the season (Oct. 31 - Nov. 4), becoming the first player since Russell Westbrook in 2018 – and first Raptor – to achieve such a streak.
Anunoby helped Toronto lead the NBA in steals per game (9.4) last season and set a single-season franchise record with 772 total steals.
Joining Anunoby on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team are Bam Adebayo (Miami), Draymond Green (Golden State), Dillon Brooks (Memphis) and Derrick White (Boston).
The NBA All-Defensive Teams were selected by a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. Players were awarded two points for each First Team vote and one point for each Second Team vote. Voters selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Players who received votes at multiple positions were slotted at the position at which they received the most voting points.