| Season | Player | Team |
| 1982-83 | Sidney Moncrief | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1983-84 | Sidney Moncrief | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 1984-85 | Mark Eaton | Utah Jazz |
| 1985-86 | Alvin Robertson | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1986-87 | Michael Cooper | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1987-88 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls |
| 1988-89 | Mark Eaton | Utah Jazz |
| 1989-90 | Dennis Rodman | Detroit Pistons |
| 1990-91 | Dennis Rodman | Detroit Pistons |
| 1991-92 | David Robinson | San Antonio Spurs |
| 1992-93 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets |
| 1993-94 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets |
| 1994-95 | Dikembe Mutombo | Denver Nuggets |
| 1995-96 | Gary Payton | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 1996-97 | Dikembe Mutombo | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1997-98 | Dikembe Mutombo | Atlanta Hawks |
| 1998-99 | Alonzo Mourning | Miami Heat |
| 1999-00 | Alonzo Mourning | Miami Heat |