Karl-Anthony Towns Calls Out NBA Voters Over OG Anunoby Decision
The NBA announced its 2025-26 all-defensive teams on Friday, one day before the New York Knicks‘ Game 3 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers to take a 3-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Here are the results:
First Team
- Victor Wembanyama
- Chet Holmgren
- Ausar Thompson
- Rudy Gobert
- Derrick White
Second Team
- Scottie Barnes
- Cason Wallace
- Bam Adebayo
- OG Anunoby
- Dyson Daniels
Knicks forward OG Anunoby received 67 points, leading only Dyson Daniels on the all-defensive team voting.
New York big man Karl-Anthony Towns feels Anunoby was “robbed” of First Team honors.
“Nobody wants to ask OG about Second Team? I mean he’s All-Defense. Come on, bro,” Towns said after the Knicks’ 121-108 win over the Cavaliers on Saturday night. “He’s one of the best defenders in the world, and he got robbed of First [Team].”
More Basketball:Victor Wembanyama Joins David Robinson in Elite NBA Playoff History
Anunoby finished 10th in Defensive Player of the Year voting after recording 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game through 67 games in the regular season. As a 6-foot-7 forward with elite athleticism and wingspan, the 28-year-old veteran has the ability to defend against any position on the court.
More Basketball:LeBron James Says He Saw Spurs Breakout Season Coming Last Year
Knicks head coach Mike Brown campaigned for Anunoby to make First Team earlier this year.
"His versatility is just off the charts and you can do a lot of things with your defense because of him," Brown said back in April. "In my opinion, he deserves first-team all-defense this year - and hopefully the powers that be will see it that way, too."
The Knicks have a chance to close out the Eastern Conference Finals with a sweep in Game 4, which will tipoff at 8 p.m. ET on Monday.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 6:14 PM.