Knicks' Mike Brown Campaigns for OG Anunoby's All-Defense Nod

Brown calls Anunoby's lack of All-Defensive Team selections 'bullshit' as Knicks star makes final playoff push.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 6:10am

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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has strongly advocated for forward OG Anunoby to earn NBA All-Defensive First Team honors this season, calling Anunoby's lack of such selections in his career so far 'bullshit'. Anunoby, who has been the Knicks' defensive anchor, agrees with his coach and believes he should have made the All-Defensive team more often. With the regular season winding down, Anunoby has a chance to make a final statement in key upcoming games against playoff contenders.

Why it matters

Anunoby's defensive impact goes beyond just statistics, as he guards the opposing team's best player every night and is the key to the Knicks' identity as a defensive-minded team. His lack of All-Defensive Team selections has been puzzling, and this late-season push could help bring more attention to his two-way dominance.

The details

Anunoby is averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game this season, while also leading the Knicks with 10 Defensive Player of the Game awards. In recent games, he has showcased his two-way impact, scoring 31 points against the Bulls and 25 points with 13 rebounds against the Grizzlies. With the Knicks jockeying for playoff position, Anunoby will have a chance to make a final statement in key matchups against the Hawks, Celtics, Raptors and Hornets to close out the regular season.

  • The Knicks have only four games left in the regular season: at Atlanta Hawks (April 6), vs. Boston Celtics (April 9), vs. Toronto Raptors (April 10), and vs. Charlotte Hornets (April 12).
  • The Celtics game on Thursday, April 9 is a big opportunity for Anunoby to make his All-Defense case to the entire voting pool.

The players

Mike Brown

The head coach of the New York Knicks, who has strongly advocated for OG Anunoby to earn NBA All-Defensive First Team honors this season.

OG Anunoby

A versatile two-way forward for the New York Knicks who has been the team's defensive anchor, but has only been selected to the NBA All-Defensive Team once in his career so far.

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What they’re saying

“'Yeah. It's bullshit. And I can say that with a straight face because he's a great defender and he does a lot of different things that people don't see on that end of the floor — for us and for other teams he's played for. But more importantly, his versatility is just off the charts, and you can do a lot of things with your defense because of him. In my opinion, he deserves First Team All-Defense this year. And hopefully the powers that be will see it that way too. Sorry about that to all the kids out there, but it is so clear.'”

— Mike Brown, Head Coach, New York Knicks

“'Yeah, I think I should have got it more, for sure. I think I should have got it last year. I should get it this year.'”

— OG Anunoby

What’s next

The Knicks' final regular season games against the Celtics, Raptors and Hornets will be crucial for Anunoby to make a final push for NBA All-Defensive Team honors.

The takeaway

OG Anunoby's defensive impact and versatility have been crucial to the Knicks' identity, but his lack of All-Defensive Team selections has been puzzling. This late-season push could help bring more attention to his two-way dominance and make a strong case for him to finally earn that well-deserved recognition.