Earlier this afternoon, the NBA D-League officially announced that Walter “Edy” Tavares had been selected by their 22 head coaches as the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year award winner.
In 48 appearances for the Toronto Raptors‘ D-League affiliate team, Raptors 905, Tavares, the newest member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaged 10.6 points on 59.1 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds, and a D-League-best 2.7 blocks per game.
Led by Tavares’ defense, Raptors 905 held opposing sides to a league-low 98.0 points per game and 42.8 percent shooting from the field. On March 25th, the Cape Verde native recorded a D-League season-high in blocks as part of an outstanding triple-double performance (15 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 blocks).
Join us in congratulating Tavares for his prestigious accomplishment.