Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Fires Back at Lakers' Anthony Davis for 'Narrative' Comments

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jonah Kubicek | Last updated Jan 30, 2025 4:37 PM ET

Despite the San Antonio Spurs' lackluster 20-24 record, Victor Wembanyama is a lock to win his first Defensive Player of the Year award this season. According to FanDuel, he has -850 odds to win the award, and the other players in the running aren't particularly close.

As long as Wembanyama is playing at a high level, no one in the league is as talented on the defensive side of the ball as he is, but some players have had a tough time accepting that.

Anthony Davis recently explained that he thinks there is a "narrative" pushed by the league to give Wembanyama the award this season, and he's upset he has never taken home the hardware.

Not only does Wembanyama post more blocks than Davis, but he also has him beat in all of the defensive advanced metrics. However, Davis' comments gained a lot of traction, and Wembanyama weighed in on the DPOTY debate.

"I really don't care about individual accolades," said Wembanyama when asked to address Davis' comments by Carolina Teague. "It's not something I'm going to worry about. If I end up being Defensive Player of the Year, it means I've helped my team on that side of the court. It means I've done my best and I've been rewarded for it."

Wembanyama, unlike Davis, has made it clear that he wants to be remembered as a winner and isn't one to throw a fit about "narratives."

Granted, everyone, Wemby included, knows that he will walk away with the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy this year and likely in many seasons after 2025, so brushing off Davis isn't too hard for him to do.

The Lakers and Spurs won't face off again until March 17, and by then the trench in DPOTY ranking will have grown even more.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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