Ben Simmons missed out on being named the NBA's defensive player of the year but unsurprisingly he was named in the All-Defensive First Team for 2020-21.

Australian superstar Simmons was one of two players chosen unanimously, the other being Rudy Gobert - who last week was named the league's best defender for the third time in the past four seasons.

Philadelphia 76ers' guard Simmons, who has again shown his versatility on the defensive end this season by guarding all five spots on the court, and Utah Jazz centre Gobert were both chosen on all 100 ballots and received 200 points apiece.

Simmons - who had 93 steals in 58 games - made the first team for the second-straight seasons.

Gobert is a first-team choice for the fifth-straight time - blocking a league-high 190 shots in 71 regular-season games.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (176 points, 80 first-team votes) and the Milwaukee Bucks combo of guard Jrue Holiday (157, 65) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (135, 43) also were first-team selections.

Green makes the first-team for the fourth time, Antetokounmpo a third and Holiday a second.

Antetokounmpo was defensive player of the year last season.

The second team consists of the Miami Heat combo of Bam Adebayo (111, 37) and Jimmy Butler (111, 37), the 76ers duo of Joel Embiid (87, eight) and Matisse Thybulle (63, 3) and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (43, 8).