NBA Defensive Player of the Year Odds: Draymond Green Surges to Favorite After Victor Wembanyama Injury

It was Victor Wembanyama's award to lose. However, after the All-Star break, the Spurs learned Wembanyama had deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder that would sideline him for the rest of the season.

His unavailability opened up the NBA Defensive Player of the Year odds. Wembanayama had more than a 96% chance of winning the award until he got hurt.

When that happened, Jaren Jackson Jr. was listed as the favorite, but he lost his chance when Evan Mobley surged past him shortly after.

Then, the Warriors turned things around behind Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green started to play exceptionally well on the defensive end.

Green now has a -320 price tag to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award after he told the media a couple of weeks ago that he deserved it.

If Green wins, it would be his second Defensive Player of the Year Award. He won his first back in the 2016-17 season.

There's less than a week left of the regular season, so it's likely things won't change drastically moving forward. Currently, Green is competing against Mobley, Lu Dort, Dyson Daniels, Jackson Jr., and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. But it looks like Green will run away with it.

Get your first month of oddschecker+ right now for just $0.99. Don't miss out on this activation deal!

NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award Odds

Click here for Complete NBA Awards Odds

Does Draymond Green Deserve This Year's Defensive Player of the Year?

Draymond Green has arguably put together one of the best careers in the NBA over the last decade. He's a four-time NBA champion who has made the NBA All-Defensive team in eight different seasons. He's also a four-time NBA All-Star and has earned two All-NBA honors.

Green was never the favorite to win this year's NBA Defensive Player of the Year until he suggested to the media that he deserved it.

He's averaged 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals with one block per game this season. His presence on the defensive end has been felt, and he's helped the Warriors turn around a lackluster season into a potentially great one.

He also earned the Defensive Player of the Month in March, which helped his case.

He's competing against Dyson Daniels, who leads the NBA in steals. He's also going up against two terrific defensive players in Mobley and Dort. But overall, many awards care primarily about how you finish. It doesn't matter how you start. Green has been terrific defensively to close out the season, and voters will remember that.

Green has moved into first place and will likely take home his second Defensive Player of the Year award this year.