Holmgren Names Thunder's Wallace as NBA's Best Defender

In an interview with Serge Ibaka on the "How Hungry Are You?" show, Holmgren praised Wallace's ability to defend both on-ball and off-ball in passing lanes, hound opponents for 94 feet, and force misses. The 24-year-old was not among the Defensive Player of the Year contenders, with that award ultimately going to Wembanyama. raccoongame.org

Despite Holmgren's praise for Wallace, the Thunder's defensive strength is also attributed to Holmgren himself. Teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander called him "the anchor of the best defensive team in the league," noting that since Holmgren joined, Oklahoma City has maintained the top seed in the Western Conference.