Basketball

Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby named to NBA all-defensive team

By Kevinn Colleran
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Published May 09, 2023  •  Last updated 1 minute ago  •  1 minute read

Toronto Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby (3) has won the NBA's steals title and is a strong candidate for the all-defensive first team.
Toronto Raptors forward O.G. Anunoby (3) has won the NBA’s steals title and is a strong candidate for the all-defensive first team. Photo by Eric Bolte /USA TODAY Sports

A mostly healthy season finally resulted in the All Defensive NBA honours O.G. Anunoby has been destined for since he came into the league six years ago.

Anunoby joined Mississauga native and Memphis forward Dillon Brooks on the All-Defensive NBA second team, along with Miami’s Bam Adebayo, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Boston’s Derrick White. 

First-teamers were Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez, Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday and Chicago’s Alex Caruso. 

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Anunoby, who has never been named to an All-Defensive team, received 14 first-team votes and 53 second-team votes, tallying the eighth-most votes in the process this season.

He is just the second member of the Raptors organization to make an All-Defensive team, joining Kawhi Leonard who earned second-team honours in 2018-19. 

The only other Raptor to receive even one vote this season was forward Scottie Barnes, who had one second-team nomination. 

Anunoby led the NBA in steals this season with 128 and had more than 50 blocks. He was also third in the NBA this season with 241 deflections. 

What makes Anunoby unique is his ability to guard opposing players regardless of position. He spent the year going from defending guards like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to bigs like Nikola Jokic. A night without an elite scorer to guard was rare for him. 

Anunoby has had this type of versatility throughout his career, but injuries have limited his playing time. This season he started 67 games, the first time in three seasons he has been healthy for more than 48 contests.

Anunoby has two years left on the four-year, $72-million extension he signed in Dec. 2020, the second of which is a player option meaning he can opt out and head into free agency. 

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Kevinn Colleran
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