The NBA has made it official, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama is the 2023-24 NBA Rookie of the Year. He becomes the first ever French player to win this award, and the first Spur to win it since Tim Duncan.
The 7’4 future superstar clearly deserved the award this season, as he had a tremendous offensive and defensive season. He became the first player in league history to amass over 1500 points, 700 rebounds, 250 assists, 250 blocks, and 100 threes in a single season.
In the earlier portion of the season, the Rookie of the Year Race was a close contest between Wemby and OKC Thunder center Chet Holmgren. However, game by game that margin grew wider apart, and by the end of the regular season it was clear that deserved to win that award.
Wembanyama’s 2024 Season
Wembanyama came into the NBA with high expectations from everybody, including fans, the media, and even players. He was drafted #1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs, which was not seen as a surprise to anyone.
He took over the league by storm this year, averaging a 20-point double-double and also showcasing his incredible playmaking skills. Although he missed out on the 2024 NBA All-Star game, he was still able to show the world that he is a superstar in the making.
Towards the beginning of the season, Wembanyama was somewhat not living up to the hype, as he was expected to be used more and make better shot selections for the Spurs. However, once the new year kicked off, Wembanyama went off. His efficiency increased a solid amount and he started to take control more.
Future DPOY of the NBA?
Wembanyama also instantly became one of the best defensive players in the league, which was to be expected with his 8-foot wingspan. He immediately became one of the best shot-blockers in the league, as he showed he could get great chase-down blocks, inside blocks, and blocks from the perimeter
Wemby averaged 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals throughout the 2024 season. His defensive field goal percentage was 46%, which is great defensive stats for a big-man player.
Because of this tremendous defensive season, he is also a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year award. In doing so, he would become the first-ever rookie to win the DPOY Award.
Also Read: Important Dallas Mavericks Player Out For An Extended Time In 2024 Playoffs
What’s Next For Wemby and the Spurs?
Over the summer, Victor Wembanyama will be representing France in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He has stated previously that he expects to win Gold at the Olympics and anything but that would be considered a failure.
Wembanyama and the Spurs have work to do in the offseason in terms of team success, as they only won 22 games throughout the 2024 season. It wouldn’t be very surprising to see some trades being made from this front office as they are looking to build the team around their new star.
About The Author
Shayan Malik has always been an avid fan of sports. He is currently studying sports communication, hoping to take his sports knowledge to the next level. He enjoys writing about combat sports and basketball.
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