Walter Tavares of Real Madrid has been chosen as the 2022-23 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Best Defender for the third time in his career.
Tavares becomes the third player to be chosen as the EuroLeague Best Defender three times. The first was Dimitris Diamantidis of Panathinaikos Athens (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011), who won the award six times. Kyle Hines also received the award three times: with CSKA Moscow in 2015 and 2018, and with Milan last season. Bryant Dunston of Efes received the award in consecutive seasons with Olympiacos in 2014 and 2015. In addition to the aforementioned winners, CSKA players Victor Khryapa and Andrei Kirilenko secured the award in 2010 and 2012, respectively, Stephane Lasme was the 2013 winner with Panathinaikos and Adam Hanga, then of Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz, took home the trophy in 2017.
