Joakim Noah wins 2013-2014 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award

Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah's breakthrough season earned him some accolades off the court today, as he became the recipient of the 2013-14 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.  Noah becomes the first Bulls player since Michael Jordan in 1987-88 to earn the honor.

In a year in which the Bulls lost Luol Deng to the trading block and Derrick Rose to injury, many expected Chicago to crumble.  However, Noah responded to the challenge, providing leadership, racking up triple-doubles, and playing tough defense.

Noah was the centerpiece of a defense which held opponents to a league-low 91.8 ppg and a second-stingiest .430 field goal percentage.  He appeared in 80 of Chicago’s 82 games, ranked sixth in the NBA in rebounding (11.3 rpg), 12th in blocks (1.51 bpg), and added 1.24 steals.

Noah received 555 of a possible 1,125 points, including 100 first-place votes, from a panel of 125 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada.  Indiana’s Roy Hibbert (166 points, eight first-place votes) and the Los Angeles Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan (121 points, eight first-place votes) finished second and third, respectively.  Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

Past winners are listed below:

1982-83 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee
1983-84 Sidney Moncrief, Milwaukee
1984-85 Mark Eaton, Utah
1985-86 Alvin Robertson, San Antonio
1986-87 Michael Cooper, L.A. Lakers
1987-88 Michael Jordan, Chicago
1988-89 Mark Eaton, Utah
1989-90 Dennis Rodman, Detroit
1990-91 Dennis Rodman, Detroit
1991-92 David Robinson, San Antonio
1992-93 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1993-94 Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston
1994-95 Dikembe Mutombo, Denver
1995-96 Gary Payton, Seattle
1996-97 Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta
1997-98 Dikembe Mutombo, Atlanta
1998-99 Alonzo Mourning, Miami
1999-00 Alonzo Mourning, Miami
2000-01 Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia
2001-02 Ben Wallace, Detroit
2002-03 Ben Wallace, Detroit
2003-04 Ron Artest, Indiana
2004-05 Ben Wallace, Detroit
2005-06 Ben Wallace, Detroit
2006-07 Marcus Camby, Denver
2007-08 Kevin Garnett, Boston
2008-09 Dwight Howard, Orlando
2009-10 Dwight Howard, Orlando
2010-11 Dwight Howard, Orlando
2011-12 Tyson Chandler, New York
2012-13 Marc Gasol, Memphis


By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services