Jan 29, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) looks up in the second half against the LA Clippers at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama Predicted To Win Major Award by NBA Experts

Originally posted on San Antonio Spurs on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 2:50 PM ET

The new era of the NBA is filled with international talent, with each of the past five MVP winners being non-American, headlined by three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. The league's newest superstar is another international phenom, Victor Wembanyama.

The San Antonio Spurs got lucky when they landed the top overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, which allowed them to select the 7-foot-3 French star. Of course, the Spurs have had some incredible talent come through the franchise with guys like Tim Duncan, David Robinson, George Gervin, Kawhi Leonard, and more, but Wembanyama has the potential to be better than all of them.

Victor Wembanyama at a glance

Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

At just 21 years old, Wembanyama has already cemented himself as one of the top players in the NBA. In his sophomore season with the Spurs, Wembanyama averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game, but his season was cut short.

Wembanyama did not appear in a game after the All-Star break due to being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, and his sophomore campaign was limited to just 46 games. Before his season ended, Wembanyama was the runaway favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, which would have made him the youngest player in league history to win the award.

The results are in for Defensive Play of the Year

Victor Wembanyama earns the 2024-25 NBA Fan Favorites Award for his two-handed rejection at the rim, as voted by YOU, the fans! pic.twitter.com/wcN2GHCRi2
— NBA (@NBA) August 10, 2025

While he was not eligible to win the award last season, he still has a chance to make history.

2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year

The youngest Defensive Player of the Year winner was Dwight Howard, when he was 23 and won the award in the 2008-09 season. A handful of other players were just 23 years old when they won the award, but Wembanyama can do it at 22.

ESPN recently polled a group of its NBA experts as they try to predict the award winners for the 2025-26 season, and to no surprise, Wembanyama landed at the top of the Defensive Player of the Year voting. Wembanyama brought in 95 vote points, while Cleveland Cavaliers Evan Mobley finished with 31 as he looks to repeat. Chet Holmgren, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Rudy Gobert rounded out the top-five finishers.

"Despite playing in just 46 games last season, Wembanyama led the league in blocks (176) by a wide margin over second-place finisher Brook Lopez (148 blocks). Plus, he averaged 1.1 steals for a Spurs defense that owned a defensive rating of 115.4 with him on the floor (121.4 without)," Michael C. Wright wrote. "If Wembanyama plays in league-required 65 games this season, it would be a surprise if he didn't snatch the award by a landslide."

This article first appeared on San Antonio Spurs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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