7 Defensive Skills That Set Apart the Best NBA Defenders of All Time

While the offensive side of the game might be more glamorous, you must recognize the importance of defense in determining if a basketball team wins or loses.

As former NBA player and coach Pat Riley once said, “In all the research you do as a coach, studying other coaches and championship-type situations, you find that all those teams combined talent with great defense. You’ve got to stop other teams if you want to win!”

Today, we will look at some of the best NBA defenders of all time. More importantly, we will look at the defensive skills these NBA legends relied on to become some of the most recognizable names in league history.

By looking at each of these defenders’ unique skills, you can learn more about the sport and even become a better basketball player.

If you’re ready to learn more about defending in basketball and become inspired by some of the sport’s greats, it is time to get down to it!

7 Defensive Skills Used by the Best NBA Defenders

While many of the best defenders in NBA history possessed a wide range of elite defensive skills, some players were known for a particular attribute.

To help you understand more about defending in basketball, we will highlight these often-overlooked skills and highlight a player that established a reputation for using each particular skill on the court.

1. Aggressive Rebound Retrieval – Dennis Rodman

While many people remember Dennis Rodman for his flamboyant hairstyles and off-court antics, we cannot forget that he remains one of the NBA’s greatest defenders.

While Michael Jordan stole the show, Rodman’s defensive mastery and unrivaled aggression were integral to the Chicago Bulls’ dominance in the 1990s.

Rodman’s ability to retrieve rebounds in defensive positions disrupted opposition teams and prevented them from scoring. His tenacity prevented opponents from getting second chances under the net.

His incredible positioning was key to Rodman’s ability to be first to almost every rebound for the teams he played on, including the San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, and Dallas Mavericks.

Even much taller opponents struggled to get rebounds before Rodman because he always seemed to know where the ball would land.

More impressively, Rodman was relentlessly aggressive. He battled for every single ball and would go to war to win the ball back for his team and disrupt the opponent’s scoring opportunities.

His aggression and incredible defensive IQ make him stand out as one of the greatest defenders the NBA has ever seen!

2. Pass Anticipation – Michael Jordan

While Michael Jordan is believed by many to be the greatest offensive basketball player of all time, his willingness to defend with the same level of hunger made him such a phenomenal player.

Jordan seemed to possess an almost unnatural ability to anticipate where an opponent would pass the ball. Thanks to his unrelenting drive and outstanding athleticism, he could use this pass anticipation to block passes and turnover possession in dangerous areas.

Not only did he prevent opposition players from attacking by shutting down passing lanes, his pass blocking and loose ball retrieval led to countless baskets.

As with all aspects of Jordan’s game, his fierce competitiveness and must-win attitude pushed him to chase down every loose ball and shut down opposition passes.

Even when he could not block a pass, his positioning in passing lanes and reputation for chasing every loose ball made opponents uncomfortable, which slowed their game down and forced them to make mistakes.

3. On-Court Vision and Communication with Teammates – Ben Wallace

It is challenging to compose a list of the NBA’s defensive greats without mentioning Ben Wallace, who earned the title of NBA Defensive Player of the Year on four occasions. While Wallace possessed a wide range of defensive skills, the key to his success was his ability to switch on constantly.

Ben Wallace could anticipate where opponents would play the ball, which he used to apply pressure. Rather than focusing on the ball or a single player he was marking, Wallace was aware of the bigger picture.

He used this on-court vision and awareness to direct his teammates when they were in defense. Not only did this make him a great leader, his willingness to orchestrate his team’s defense while he was on the court allowed him to act as more than just an individual defender.

The best defenders in league history see things before they happen. Some true greats also use that on-court vision to direct others and transform their entire team into a defensive force that disrupts and shuts down opposition attacks before they can pose any real threat.

4. Turnover Creation and Stealing Strength – Scottie Pippen

Given the team’s incredible dominance, it is no surprise to see a third member of the 1990s Chicago Bulls on our list.

While Jordan may have stolen the show many times, Scottie Pippen was integral to the team’s ability to shut down opponents and win games before the final whistle.

One of the many ways Pippen contributed to the team was by creating turnovers. He used his long arms, incredible strength, quick reaction time, and relentless hustle to ensure he could always block passes or force the ball out of an opponent’s hands.

While collecting rebounds and blocking shots are huge parts of any defender’s role on the court, blocking passes and forcing turnovers can neutralize the opposition’s attack before it starts.

If you want to turn games in your team’s favor, repeatedly forcing the opponent to give up the ball is one of the most effective ways.

Not only do you stop their attack, you can create one for your team, just like Pippen did regularly throughout his storied NBA career.

5. Effective Shot Blocking – Dikembe Mutombo

You cannot talk about defense in basketball without getting into shot blocking. When it comes to the best, you also must recognize eight-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo.

He was an outstanding all-around defender and stands as the second-all-time leader for blocked shots in the NBA.

While many have tried to imitate his iconic finger wag after blocking a shot, few have been able to come anywhere close to his consistency for blocking shots and disrupting opponents.

Mutombo’s 7’2” height and enormous wingspan helped him become the shot-blocking force he was, but his timing and quick reaction time set him apart as a shot-blocking icon.

Countless opponents went up to take shots, only to have Mutombo’s massive hands swat the ball away almost immediately.

When defending in basketball, even if you are not tall enough to pose a serious shot-blocking threat, your presence as a defender can be enough to put an opponent’s shot off. This can be the difference between them scoring or the ball rebounding to one of your teammates.

6. Ability to Switch from Defense to Offense – Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard might still be plying his trade in the NBA, but that does not mean he has not already established himself as one of the league’s iconic players. Kawhi’s versatility and razor-sharp focus even allowed him to lead an underdog Toronto Raptors team to an NBA title.

While he is undoubtedly known more as an offensive powerhouse, Kawhi contributes heavily to defense. His footwork, anticipation, and mental toughness have earned him a reputation as a player who contributes heavily at both ends of the court.

One skill that aspiring basketball players can learn from the defensive side of their game is the quick ability to switch from defense to offense.

Not only should you aim to win the ball back, but you should also aim to quickly transition into attack whenever you have possession of the ball.

Doing so lets you catch the opposition on the back foot and create a promising opportunity to drive the ball up the court before they fully realize what happened.

To be a dangerous basketball player, you must always keep your offensive instincts the same, especially when defending.

7. Quick Footwork and Willingness to Chase Opponents – Tim Duncan

Tim Duncan is a modern-day NBA great. Part of the key to his success and the incredible duration of his NBA career on the San Antonio Spurs is his commitment to the sport’s fundamental skills.

Not only has this allowed him to rank as one of the league’s top scorers consistently, but it also has led him to be an impressive force when it comes to collecting rebounds and blocking shots.

For Duncan to be effective at both ends of the court, he constantly works on his footwork. Rather than standing still and allowing an opponent to catch him flat-footed, Duncan is constantly moving and reacting to opposition movements.

You cannot remain static if you want to be skillful in defense. Basketball is way too fast of a sport. You need to be able to react to opposition passes, shot attempts, and any sort of loose possession.

To assert this level of influence, Duncan can put on games, you need to move quickly and purposefully. When an opponent you are guarding is preparing to move, move with them and shut down that passing opportunity before it happens.

Understand your angles and work on deficiencies in your game. All of the greatest defenders have outstanding footwork and fundamentals.

Final Words

You should try to become a well-rounded defender rather than focusing on a single defensive skill. From learning how to block shots with the tenacity of Dikembe Mutombo to fighting for every single ball and board like Dennis Rodman, no defensive skill should be seen as more important than another.

There are many other players in NBA history to watch for inspiration to boost your defense skills, including Bill Russell, Kevin Garnett, Gary Payton, Tony Allen, LeBron James, and Chris Paul.

While studying and watching the defensive performances of the NBA’s greats can help elevate your game, there is no substitute for practice.

While there is always a tendency to focus on the more glamorous components of the game, like shooting three-pointers or practicing dunks, working on your defensive skills can be the thing that makes you a great basketball player.

Whether playing a pick-up game or preparing to come off the bench in a league game, apply effort, skill, and tenacity while in defense.

Not only will it make you stand out as a better player, it can be the difference between your team winning and losing.

For more information about the defensive side of basketball, we encourage you to read What Is the Post in Basketball?

It breaks down some of the terminology used in the sport and provides a beneficial overview of the various positions. You can also read 8 Ways to Get Better at Basketball for even more information.