After the team drafted him with the first overall pick of last year’s NBA Draft, expectations were sky-high for San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama. Despite it appearing challenging for the French native to meet those expectations, Wembanyama is doing so, if not exceeding them entirely. On the season, Wembanyama is averaging 20.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.4 blocks per game. Currently, Wembanyama is the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s NBA Rookie of the Year award. And it if weren’t for Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holmgren, Wembanyama would be a lock to win the award unanimously.
Amazingly, this is not the only award Wembanyama can reasonably earn this season. In addition, this year’s NBA Defensive Player of the Year award appears to be a two-man race between Wembanyama and fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Currently, Gobert (-800) is the betting favorite to win the award for the fourth time in his career. However, Wembanyama is not far behind with the second-highest betting odds to win.
In a recent interview, Wembanyama talked about his battle with Gobert for the award:
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 Makes Bold Claim About NBA DPOY Award
Wembanyama’s Confidence is Justified…
Though he’s just a rookie, it’s clear Wembanyama belongs in this league. He is having one of the greatest rookie seasons in NBA history and the definitive greatest we have seen in a long time. What makes Wembanyama so special is how well-rounded his game is at his size and age. With how poised he looks on an NBA court, it’s easy to forget he is only 20 years old. As it stands, Wembanyama has all the reasons in the world to believe in himself and his game.
…But Gobert Will Likely Be the 2024 NBA Defensive Player of the Year
The unfortunate truth of Wembanyama’s rookie year? The San Antonio Spurs aren’t producing. With a 14-52 record, the Spurs are the worst team in the Western Conference and the third-worst overall. Additionally, despite Wembanyama’s elite defense, the team as a whole is a below-average defensive team this season. Last week, Golden State Warriors forward and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green publicly said he doesn’t believe Wembanyama can win the award due to the team’s overall defensive struggles:
“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.”
In contrast, Gobert’s Timberwolves are 45-21 with the league’s best Defensive Rating. Though Wembanyama has better defensive stats, Gobert’s team is better defensively in large part due to his game. As it is, Wembanyama is right. 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 onward.
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