Victor Wembanyama is a future superstar and has exceeded expectations in year one. Wembanyama has the tools to be great, Also, it has not taken him long to find his stride. Wembanyama, the February rookie of the month, put together 21.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 3.9 blocks per game for the month. During this stretch, Wembanyama also shot 40% from beyond the arc.
He has shown minimal flaws, and the ones he has can be fixed over time. Overall, the Frenchman has great handles (for a man of his size), and great passing vision, and his above-average shooting and ability to score have been impressive.
Victor Wembanyama By The Numbers
However, as the year went on, chatter increased regarding his dominance on the other end of the floor.
Many believe that the rookie-of-the-year award is Wembanyama’s, but that is not the only award within reach. His defensive play this year is elite, and chances are he will be the league’s best real soon. But in 2023-2024, that honor can be his.
Victor Wembanyama is just as impressive, if not more, as a defender in the NBA. He is currently leading the league with 3.4 blocks per game (186 in total), and the next closest, Bucks’ center Brook Lopez, has 156 under his belt and is averaging 2.7.
The current DPOY odds via BetMGM show Minnesota’s fierce defender Rudy Gobert as the leader to win the award. Gobert, a three-time DPOY winner, is averaging 12.7 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as of March. What makes Gobert the front-runner for this award is that he is the anchor of a team that leads the NBA in defensive rating.
Gobert and the Timberwolves are on a tear this season, sitting at the top of the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Wembanyama is part of a Spurs team that sits at the bottom of the conference and is the league’s worst in team-defensive ranking.
This can hinder Wembanyama’s case for DPOY, but it should not. By the numbers, Victor Wembanyama is playing exceptional defense despite what is going on around him. Life for Gobert is relatively easier, playing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards in a well-oiled system. He is able to impact games with just his defense because his supporting cast does so much. When Gobert is off of the floor, chances are Minnesota still dominates games.
Victor Wembanyama Doing It All?
In San Antonio, Victor Wembanyama is forced to carry the team on his own on most nights on both ends. Wembanyama is asked to do more for his team whereas Gobert might be the third-best player on his team.
Wembanyama’s defensive numbers are near the top of the league and he is doing it in harder situations than anyone else. The numbers speak for themselves, Wembanyama’s impact defensively is deserving of a DPOY award this year and a team’s record should not take that away. Heck, a team’s record should actually give you more of an idea of how much a player does for his team. But what do we know right?
Ultimately, no matter how the DPOY race ends, Wembanyama will likely have a handful of “Hakeem Olajuwon” awards in the coming years. In the meantime, Wembanyama can be proud of the year he is having so far. He nearly made the all-star team, is likely the ROY and the city of San Antonio has embraced him. Victor Wembanyama will be just fine.
For More Great Content
Check out our betting content here for odds and analysis! Also, watch and subscribe to our YouTube Channel! We have a show every day covering all aspects of sports. Read more content from Desmond and stay tuned to our website for daily content!