Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Rudy Gobert have each won the award a record four times.

[5] Sidney Moncrief, Mark Eaton, Dennis Rodman, Hakeem Olajuwon, Alonzo Mourning and Kawhi Leonard have each won it twice.

Although five of the first six winners were perimeter players, the award has traditionally been given to big men who rebound and block shots.

[11] Jordan is the only recipient to have also won the scoring title in the same season,[12] when he also became the only player to win the award while averaging over 30 points per game (35.0).

Protections also exist for players who suffer season-ending injuries, who are eligible with 62 credited games, and those affected by what the CBA calls "bad faith circumstances".