What Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama is most proud of from spectacular rookie season

Wemby’s 3.6 blocks per game led the NBA by more than a full block. By comparison, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, who’s considered the favorite to win his fourth career NBA Defensive Player of the Year, finished sixth with 2.1 blocks per contest.

Whether he was setting the record for most consecutive double-doubles by a teenager, or becoming the second youngest in NBA history to reach 40 points and 20 rebounds in the same game, or becoming the first player to record a triple double with blocks in more than three years, or recording at least five in five different statistical categories, Wembanyama routinely put up combinations of numbers rarely seen in the NBA’s storied history.

Victor Wembanyama reflects on his rookie season

A 20-year-old who spent half the year as a teenager, Wemby opened up about what caught his attention most in his first NBA season.

“Biggest surprise, I would say how strong NBA players really are mentally and physically, to extend this intensity all throughout the season – the length the body can go to to resist,” the French phenom said.

As much as he hated missing games because of nagging ankle injuries, including a 123-95 win over the Detroit Pistons in the season finale, the Spurs leading scorer did play in 71 games.

“I’m really happy the way it was. Also, the way we managed everything with my body. We tried to prevent as much as we could. I wish I would’ve played all 82 games but it’s my first season. Looking back, it was pretty satisfying.”

Constantly driven to reach new heights, Wembanyama also talked about what he’ll look to improve over the offseason.

“There’s a lot of details that I have in mind. I really started talking about it with the coaches. A lot of small things that the opponents try to attack me on during the games. I have the tools to respond but I need practice. The stuff that is hard to practice during the season,” the 7-foot-4 big man said before pivoting.

“Physically, I think we’re going in the right direction. We just keep it the way it is. Even more injury prevention. As usual, the strength is more important than the weight, especially in the important parts, like the feet, for example, and basically where it hurt this season, where it was sore.”

Wembanyama ended a likely Rookie of the Year season by averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game in under 30 minutes per outing.