Victor Wembanyama became eligible for the NBA’s end-of-season awards after playing on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks. With Wemby meeting the minimum game requirement of 65 games, he could finally win the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award that eluded him last season.
When asked in the postgame conference if a non-unanimous DPOY win would surprise him, Wemby responded:
“Yes. Yes, I would.”
The 7-foot-4 center becomes the first unanimous player to win the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy in NBA history if every voter picks him over every other contender, like main rival Chet Holmgren.
Victor Wembanyama has a strong argument to become the first unanimous DPOY winner. He leads the league with 3.1 blocks per game, nearly 50% better than the second-placed Holmgren’s 1.7 bpg. Wemby has swatted 197 shots, 59 more than the second-ranked Jay Huff’s tally. Huff has played seven more games than the Frenchman.
Wemby’s impact isn’t just due to his obvious reach and height advantage. When switched on opposing guards, he has more than held his own due to his mobility and anticipation. Guards have had trouble blowing past him or hoisting shots over his 8-foot wingspan.
The Spurs have a 113.4 defensive rating without their superstar center, 11th in the NBA in defensive rating. When he’s on the floor, that figure drops to 103.2, giving him the league’s best on/off impact on defense.
For comparison, the Thunder own a 106.8 defensive rating without Holmgren and 102.3 with him on the floor.
Perhaps the biggest proof of Victor Wembanayama’s defensive impact doesn’t even show on the stat sheet. Nobody forces opponents to give up shots when they see him patrolling the paint.
Victor Wembanyama Poised To Become Spurs’ First DPOY Since Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard was the last Spurs player to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He earned the honor during the 2015-16 season, the second of back-to-back DPOYs for the 6-foot-7 wing.
Leonard received 84 first-place votes while runner-up Draymond Green had 44. Hassan Whiteside, a distant third, got two.
Victor Wembanyama is poised to follow in Leonard’s footsteps once the best defensive player of this season is recognized. A unanimous vote might not happen, but he is expected to lift the trophy by season’s end.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball and college baseball.
