Si Players Nba Poll

Who is the toughest defender in the NBA?

Bruce Bowen, Spurs F 37%

Ron Artest, Kings F 31%

Ben Wallace, Bulls C 11%

Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz F 4%

Kobe Bryant, Lakers G 3%

FAST FACTS
Poll taken during the regular season.... Bowen (above left, guarding Bryant) has made seven straight NBA All-Defense teams but has yet to be named Defensive Player of the Year; Nuggets center Marcus Camby, who won the award this season, failed to receive a vote in this poll.... Artest was the only one of the top nine vote-getters whose team did not make the playoffs this season.

[Based on a survey of 271 NBA players]
For an expanded version of the poll, go to SI.com/players.