Tarik Phillip Crowned Molten Defensive Player of the Year
London Lions guard Tarik Phillip has been named the Super League Basketball Molten Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season, following a voting process that included the league's Head Coaches, Captains, and select media members.
The Great Britain international has been a constant thorn in the side of opposing ball-handlers throughout the campaign, setting the defensive tone for a Lions side that has been the most formidable defensive unit in SLB this season. Coach Tautvydas Sabonis' team have held opponents to just 73.5 points per game on average — nearly 10 points fewer than the next best defensive team in the league.
The award adds to an already impressive individual accolade for the 32-year-old, who was named to the Molten All-Defensive Team of the Year last week alongside teammates Deane Williams and Chaundee Brown Jr., underlining London's collective dominance on that end of the floor.
Head Coach Sabonis was effusive in his praise for Phillip, describing him as a "psychopath on defence" who is capable of disrupting opponents through his tenacity, quick hands, and ability to switch and front. "He can really disrupt the games and really take players out of their rhythm," Sabonis said, adding that while Williams and Brown Jr. were equally deserving contenders, Phillip's disruptive qualities ultimately set him apart.
At 6'3", Phillip has proven that elite defence wins recognition — and this season, it has won him the league's top individual defensive honour.