best defensive player in NBA this season is . . . .

[wade boggs chicken dinner]

Kelly O, Kelly O, baby.

OK, not really but he is leading NBA in DRTG at 79.3 and an impressive, in so far as advanced stats go, net rating of 20.7. http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/203482/stats/advanced

Here's a reddit that discusses this phenomena. https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/3seyph/kelly_olynyk_is_currently_leading_the_league_in/. Now I've got to be as big a fan of Kelly O as anyone - if only because it's great watching a 7 footer with point guard skills - but it seems to me from watching that he isn't a very good primary defender but is an excellent help defender.

At any rate, whatever happens to his career, and i think it will be a long run, he can always say that at one point in his career and by advanced metrics nonetheless, he was the highest ranked defender in the Association.

 

[Cellar-Door]

He's a good defender. An argument I've been making since last year. He's excellent at position, increased strength, quick hands. He'll probably slide down the BLK% ranking just based on physical tools, but the STL% could be legit, and the FG% against is likely at least partially if not mostly legit.

 

[chilidawg]

KO, always confounding us.

 

[luckiestman]

He's good this year. He was an absolute turnstile his rookie year and that is the impression people have of him but he is much better now. The number one thing is silly but he is good.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

Maybe bowiac was right and I really hace sold him short. Outside of his shot not falling yet, Kelly has flashed an impressive all around game this year. I'll admit I'm curious to see how much of this he can maintain going forward.