Lost DPOYs: 1965-1969

We’re almost to a contemporary-ish look at defense! In the 1968-69 season, the NBA unveiled its first All-Defensive Teams. The lucky fellas on the first All-Defensive 1st Team were…

• Dave DeBusschere

• Walt Frazier

• Bill Russell

• Jerry Sloan

• Nate Thurmond

And the first members on the first All-Defensive 2nd Team were…

• Bill Bridges

• John Havlicek

• Rudy LaRusso

• Tom “Satch” Sanders

• Jerry West

So from here on out we have All-Defensive Teams to help guide us, but we still have to consider the gray zone from 1965 to 1968. What about great defenders in those years?

Well, I’m just picking three guys to highlight as “lost” since we already have a lot of sterling defenders from this period rightfully represented on the All-Defensive Teams that were finally selected in 1969.

So here we go…

Gus Johnson

Nicknamed “Honeycomb”, Gus Johnson was an athletic beast on the basketball court. Standing 6’6” and weighing over 230 pounds, the man was solid as a rock and prowled all over the court.

If I were making a list of Lost Du…