Kawhi Leonard selected NBA Defensive Player of the Year

The San Antonio Spurs' Kawhi Leonard, who became only the sixth forward to lead the NBA in steals per game since the league started tracking the statistic 42 years ago, is the recipient of the 2014-15 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, the NBA announced today.

He becomes the first Spurs player to win the award since David Robinson in 1991-92.

Leonard garnered 37 first-place votes and 333 total points from a panel of 129 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. He edged the Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green, who tallied 45 first-place votes and 317 points. The Los Angeles Clippers' DeAndre Jordan finished third with 261 points (32 first-place votes).

2014-15 Kia NBA Defensive Player Of The Year Voting Results
P.PLAYERTEAMPOINTS
1.KAWHI LEONARDSpurs333 (37)
2.Draymond GreenWarriors317 (45)
3.DeAndre JordanClippers261 (32)
4.Anthony DavisPelicans107 (11)
5.Rudy GobertJazz33 (2)
6.Andrew BogutWarriors31
7.Tony AllenGrizzlies29 (1)
8.Tim DuncanSpurs12 (1)
9.Michael Kidd-GilchristHornets9
10.Jimmy ButlerBulls7
---Marc GasolGrizzlies7
12.Joakim NoahBulls4
13.LeBron Jamescavaliers3
---Trevor ArizaRockets3
15.Patrick BeverleyRockets1
---DeMarre CarrollHawks1
---Nerlens NoelSixers1
---Chris PaulClippers1
---Hassan WhitesideHeat1