Victor Wembanyama, a rookie for the San Antonio Spurs, had great expectations after being selected first overall by the organization in the previous NBA Draft.
Wembanyama is meeting, if not surpassing, those expectations, even though it seems difficult for the native Frenchman to do so. Victor leads the league in blocks per game with an average of 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 10.3 rebounds this season. He is currently the clear favorite to take home the NBA Rookie of the Year trophy for this season. And without Chet Holmgren, the big man for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Wembanyama would have been the clear favorite to win the prize on a unanimous vote.
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Surprisingly, Wembanyama is deserving of more honors this season.
Furthermore, Wembanyama and fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves seem to be in a two-man battle for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award this year. Gobert (-800) is now the betting favorite to win the trophy for the fourth time in his career. Wembanyama, on the other hand, is not far behind with the second-best winning odds.
Recently, Wembanyama discussed his competition with Gobert for the prize in an interview:
I know that Rudy (Gobert) has a very good chance of winning it this year, and it would be deserved. Let him win it now, because after that it’s no longer his turn.
Victor Wembanyama:
“I know that Rudy Gobert has a very good chance of winning defensive player of the year this year, and it would be deserved. Let him win it now, because after that, it’s no longer his turn.”
(via @BasketNews_com) pic.twitter.com/2fKgcJZJzC
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 15, 2024
Wembanyama Has Good Reason to Be Confident.
Even as a rookie, Wembanyama already has a lot of experience in this league. He is undoubtedly having the best rookie season we have seen in a long time and among the best in NBA history. Wembanyama’s skill level is exceptional considering his stature and age. It’s difficult to believe he is only 20 years old given how composed he appears on an NBA court. Wembanyama currently has every reason in the world to have faith in both his abilities and his strategy.
Games with 5+ BLK and 5+ STL this season:
2 — Victor Wembanyama
0 — Rest of the NBA pic.twitter.com/hIrmbC5Cu1— WembyMuse (@Wemby_Muse) March 14, 2024
However, Gobert is probably going to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2024?
The regrettable reality of Wembanyama’s first season? The Spurs of San Antonio are not winning games. The Spurs are now the third-worst club overall and the poorest in the Western Conference with a 14-52 record. Furthermore, the team’s overall defensive performance this season is below average, including Wembanyama’s excellent defense. Due to the team’s general defensive shortcomings, Golden State Warriors forward and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green openly stated last week that he doesn’t think Wembanyama can win the award:
“He’ll have the opportunity to win Defensive Player of the Years. I personally don’t think that it’s this year,” Green said on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show. “I still don’t think you can give that award to somebody who’s on the 24th best defense in the league.”
On the other hand, Gobert’s Timberwolves are 45-21 and have the best defensive rating in the NBA. Gobert’s team plays stronger defense largely because of his game, even if Wembanyama has superior defensive statistics. It’s unlikely he will win the award this year. However, he can become a serious candidate to win the award every year for the next several years.