Feb 10, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) post up on Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie (9) during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

'Top 5 Player in the NBA Right Now' – San Antonio Spurs and NBA Fans Will Definitely Agree With This Victor Wembanyama Take

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Jordan Samar | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 11:49 PM ET

Former NBA guard Patrick Beverley recently made the bold proclamation that San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is already a Top 5 player in the NBA heading into this season.

Speaking in a recent episode of his podcast, Beverley went as far as insisting that the San Antonio Spurs star should already have won two Defensive Player of the Year trophies in his budding NBA career.

“He’s different. He was supposed to get Defensive Player of the Year twice already,” Beverley said about Wembanyama. “You’ve never seen anything like him. Give him six, seven years, and then you make the call, but right now he’s a top five player in the NBA, without a doubt.”

“I Need to See Him When It Matters” - San Antonio Spurs Gets Snubbed by Former NBA Player as the Best Defensive Player 1 Dec 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

“I think he has a chance to go far in the playoffs this year. Anytime he’s on the court, the chances of winning for his team go very high,” he concluded.

San Antonio Spurs News: Mitch Johnson drops major Victor Wembanyama update

Mitch Johnson had a huge smile on his face during the San Antonio Spurs’ Media Day, as he recently revealed that Victor Wembanyama has received the green light from the medical team to partake in all basketball-related activities.

Dec 3, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) against the Phoenix Suns during an NBA Cup game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“Victor’s cleared,” Johnson said via The Athletic’s Jared Weiss. “He’s been cleared by our medical team and by the league… He’s been ramping up. He’s been in a really good place. The stakes rise quickly when you’ve got a transformational figure like Wembanyama in the fold.”

Wembanyama earned his maiden NBA All-Star selection last season after averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks on 47.6 percent shooting from the field. However, he was limited to 46 regular season appearances, as his 2024-25 campaign was cut short due to a blood clot diagnosis.