Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley revealed to reporters on Monday his goal for next season—to win the Defensive Player of the year award.
Avery Bradley: “That’s my goal, to be defensive player of the year. I feel like it’s possible for me.”
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) August 29, 2016
Bradley, 25, made the NBA All-Defensive First Team last season along with Draymond Green, DeAndre Jordan, Chris Paul and back-to-back DPOY winner Kawhi Leonard. Bradley will have some stiff competition for the award, as Leonard, Green and Jordan figure to be the favorites for next season.
If Bradley does manage to beat out his peers, he’ll become the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1996.
Boston held teams to 44.1 shooting from the field last season, good for seventh-best in the NBA. Bradley is not the biggest defender on the floor at 6-foot-2, but he has active hands. Last season, he set a career high for steals with 119.
Bradley is at a disadvantage in that he doesn’t block many shots, but if voters can look past that and focus instead on the steals and on-ball defense, then he might have a chance at winning the award.
