Ben Simmons not named finalist for 2020 Defensive Player of the Year

Philadelphia 76ers forward Ben Simmons is not among the Defensive Player of the Year finalists.

Philadelphia 76ers All-Star Ben Simmons is currently dealing with a serious knee issue, but his work on the defensive end prior to the injury cannot be ignored.

Simmons leads the league in steals total steals and steals per game despite missing a lot of time with injuries and he has put the clamps on some of the game’s top scorers. All of that while also being a perimeter defender should have at least made him a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year in 2020.

However, the NBA did not see it that way and they did not have amongst the finalists. The three 2020 Defensive Player of the Year candidates are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, and Rudy Gobert.

It is disappointing to not see Simmons’ name on this list. Not that there is anything wrong with the three choices, those three are some of the top defensive players in the league as well, but Simmons has been absolutely incredible on that end all season. He probably would not have won it, but he should have received some consideration at the very least. [lawrence-related id=36489,36470,36462]