KBL Defensive Player of the Year
Annual Korean basketball award
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The Korean Basketball League Defensive Player of the Year Award (Korean: 최우수수비상) is an annual Korean Basketball League (KBL) award given to the best defensive player during the regular season. The awardee is selected from players voted into the Defensive Best 5 (Korean: 수비 5걸) team. In addition to contributing to their team's overall defensive record, selected players must accumulate high averages in the following statistical categories: blocks, steals and defensive rebounds.[1]
Winners
| ^ | Denotes player who is still active in the KBL |
| † | Denotes team which won the Championship that season |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected for the Defensive Best 5 |
| Player (in bold text) |
Indicates the player who won the Defensive Player of the Year Award |
1997 to 2009–10
| Season | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997[nb 1] | |||
| Lee Ji-sung | F | Daejeon Hyundai Dynat | |
| Jang Yoon-seob | F | Wonju Naray Blue Bird | |
| Kim Hyun-guk | F | Gwangju Nasan Flamans | |
| Lee Hoon-jae | F | Busan Kia Enterprise † | |
| Kim Byung-soo | F | Wonju Naray Blue Bird | |
| 1997–98 | |||
| Joo Hee-jung | G | Wonju Naray Blue Bird | |
| Park Kyu-hyun | G | Gyeongnam LG Sakers | |
| Kim Young-man | F | Busan Kia Enterprise | |
| Kim Hyun-guk (2) | F | Gwangju Nasan Flamans | |
| Park Jae-heon | C | Gyeongnam LG Sakers | |
| 1998–99 | |||
| Joo Hee-jung (2) | G | Suwon Samsung Thunders | |
| Stais Boseman | G | Incheon Daewoo Zeus | |
| Choo Seung-gyun | F | Daejeon Hyundai Gullivers † | |
| Lee Hoon-jae (2) | F | Daegu Tongyang Orions | |
| Park Jae-heon | C | Changwon LG Sakers | |
| 1999–00 | |||
| Joo Hee-jung (3) | G | Suwon Samsung Thunders | |
| Roderick Hannibal | G | Cheongju SK Knights † | |
| Choo Seung-gyun (2) | F | Daejeon Hyundai Gullivers | |
| Yang Kyung-min | F | Wonju Sambo Xers | |
| Lorenzo Hall | C | Daejeon Hyundai Gullivers |
2011–12 to 2013–14
There were no Defensive Best 5 selections from the 2011–12 season until the 2013–14 season. During that time period, only the Defensive Player of the Year Award was awarded to one player.[1]
| Season | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011–12 | Kim Joo-sung | C/F | Wonju Dongbu Promy |
| 2012–13 | Yang Dong-geun | G | Ulsan Mobis Phoebus † |
| 2013–14 | Yang Hee-jong | F | Anyang KGC |
2014–15 to 2022–23
2023–24 to present
The Defensive Best 5 was scrapped after the 2022–23 season. Beginning with the 2023–24 season, only one player is awarded the Defensive Player of the Year.
| Season | Player | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–24 | Oh Jae-hyun^ (2) | G | Seoul SK Knights |
| 2024–25 | Jeong Sung-woo^ (2) | G | Daegu KOGAS Pegasus |
| 2025–26 |  Assem Marei^ (2) |
C | Assem Marei |
Notes
- Prior to the founding of the professional Korean Basketball League, the predecessor National Basketball Festival (농구대잔치) ended its final season in January 1997. The first season of the KBL began play in February 1997 to facilitate the transition. Since the 1997–98 season, the KBL season runs from October until April.
- Ratliffe became a naturalized South Korean citizen in 2018 and has gone by his Korean name "Ra Gun-ah" ever since.
- Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in March 2020, the KBL board of directors voted to end the season early, in the middle of the fifth round, and cancel the play-offs. Instead the KBL board of directors declared Wonju DB Promy and Seoul SK Knights as joint first place on the league table.[3]