2010 is the only recent team I can think of for comparison. That team used a totally different style - slow it down, pack-line D like Virginia uses. They were fundamentally sound, hedged and recovered on screens while rotating beautifully to also limit threes. This year's D attacks the ball, they're so aggressive and go after the other team. It's almost like they're on offense while they're playing defense. So much fun to watch. I've also been really surprised at how proficiently they block shots, as I thought that would be a weakness.
After the past few years a lot of fans thought that K had forgotten how to coach defense. It turns out that having the right players makes a big difference.