In a stunning turn of events it appeared as if Brook Lopez’s career might be nearing the end less than year ago coming off back surgery, and now he is the betting favorite for Defensive Player of The Year at 34.7 years old. He is leading the league in block shots and the Bucks are 2nd in the league in defense with him playing 31.1 minutes a game. The highest block rate of his career. Having Giannis Antetokounmpo beside of him I’m sure helps, but he is blocking the shots. He also has the highest defensive real plus minus on the Bucks.
What is remarkable is this is a player that for many years wasn’t considered even a good defender. For many years he was one of the worst rebounding post players in the league, almost embarrassing levels for a 7-1, 285lb player. Rebounds have importance in how you end defensive possessions, and if you give up offensive rebounds the other team gets point blank shots usually on a center out of position.
age
g
min
ppg
rpg
apg
bpg
2008-09
20
NJN
82
30.5
13.0
8.1
1.0
1.8
2009-10
21
NJN
82
36.9
18.8
8.6
2.3
1.7
2010-11
22
NJN
82
35.2
20.4
6
1.6
1.5
2011-12
23
NJN
5
27.2
19.2
3.6
1.2
0.8
2012-13
24
BRK
74
30.4
19.4
6.9
0.9
2.1
2013-14
25
BRK
17
31.4
20.7
6
0.9
1.8
2014-15
26
BRK
72
29.2
17.2
7.4
0.7
1.8
2015-16
27
BRK
73
33.7
20.6
7.8
2
1.7
2016-17
28
BRK
75
29.6
20.5
5.4
2.3
1.7
2017-18
29
LAL
74
23.4
13
4
1.7
1.3
2018-19
30
MIL
81
28.7
12.5
4.9
1.2
2.2
2019-20
31
MIL
68
26.7
12
4.6
1.5
2.4
2020-21
32
MIL
70
27.2
12.3
5
0.7
1.5
2021-22
33
MIL
13
22.9
12.4
4.1
0.5
1.2
2022-23
34
MIL
22
31.1
15.3
5.9
1.1
3.0
age
g
PER
TS%
2008-09
20
NJN
82
17.9
0.568
2009-10
21
NJN
82
20.1
0.57
2010-11
22
NJN
82
19.3
0.549
2011-12
23
NJN
5
21.9
0.527
2012-13
24
BRK
74
24.7
0.567
2013-14
25
BRK
17
25.4
0.629
2014-15
26
BRK
72
22.7
0.558
2015-16
27
BRK
73
21.7
0.562
2016-17
28
BRK
75
20.4
0.578
2017-18
29
LAL
74
16.5
0.557
2018-19
30
MIL
81
14.6
0.597
2019-20
31
MIL
68
15.0
0.551
2020-21
32
MIL
70
15.4
0.611
2021-22
33
MIL
13
16.0
0.57
2022-23
34
MIL
22
18.4
0.63
When he was able to return last year in March after the back surgery he didn’t cover himself in glory, but he has been a player that has been able to remake his game multiple times now over his career. To think he came into the league as a back to the basket post up player that didn’t even shoot three’s until he was 28 years old. Then he immediately went from 0 to 100 so to speak shooting high volume for a post player and a respectable three point shot almost immediately which is almost unheard of to go from nothing to pretty good. This year he’s shooting 41.7% from three with 2.4 three’s a game. To averaged nearly 3.0 and 3.0 in three’s and blocks is awesome.
