The defensive dominance of Victor Wembanyama

The defensive dominance of Victor Wembanyama
Photos by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Yet again, Wemby’s defensive impact goes far beyond the box score.

Victor Wembanyama’s second season is off to a promising start. The 20-year-old phenom is averaging 20 points, 12 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game through his first three outings. But what’s truly caught my attention isn’t just in the numbers — it’s the intangible impact he brings, the kind you won’t find on a stat sheet.

His presence is especially felt on the defensive end, where he makes an impact on almost every possession. A prime example of this came during Monday night’s game against the Houston Rockets.

The possession began with Dillon Brooks driving along the baseline, using his body to create space for a layup. But Brooks quickly realized his attempt was doomed—Wembanyama stood his ground, towering over him like a father about to swat away a kid’s shot in the driveway. Forced to adjust, Brooks made the smart decision to kick the ball out to Alperen Şengün.

When Şengün received the ball, he found himself matched up against Spurs wing Harrison Barnes. Sensing the mismatch, Wembanyama signaled for Barnes to switch, taking the assignment himself. Şengün opted to challenge him the old-school way, backing him down in the post. But the 7’4” Frenchman dropped into a low stance, completely neutralizing Şengün’s attempt, forcing him to pass it back out.

The ball eventually found its way to Jalen Green, who quickly swung it over to Brooks once more. Spotting an opening, Brooks drove hard to the rim, this time blowing past Barnes and seemingly on his way to an easy layup. But once again, Wembanyama slid over, contesting the shot with perfect timing. Brooks was forced into a tough miss, and the Spurs secured the rebound.

What’s fascinating is that Wembanyama didn’t register a block, steal, deflection, or rebound on that possession—yet he dictated every second of it. His presence forced multiple kick-outs, neutralized post moves, and denied layup attempts, all without showing up in the box score.

Honestly, the NBA might need a new stat to capture his impact—something like “The Wemby Kickout,” tracking how often opponents drive into the paint only to retreat and reset out of fear. I’ve never seen a player cause so many reluctant resets at this level.

With Wembanyama, you have to look beyond the numbers and dive into the film. His defensive influence is staggering—covering ground with ease and making life infinitely easier for his teammates. Even when the box score doesn’t reflect it, Wembanyama’s presence is felt everywhere, cementing his status as one of the most disruptive defenders in the league today.


These kinds of blocks, where Wemby baits players into attempting layups, never get old. Poor Tari Eason—he really should know better by now.

Wemby hasn’t shied away from taking deep threes this season, like this one. It’s incredible to see someone his size with that kind of range, but I’d still prefer a shot distribution with more attempts in the paint.

These clips of the 20-year-old Frenchman warming up never get old—he’s just built differently.

On Saturday, a tweet went viral showcasing Wemby’s new “Wookiee of the Year” Nike shoes, inspired by his love for Star Wars. Miguel Da Guzman from SportsKeeda provides an excellent breakdown of the shoe’s design here.

During his rookie season, we saw glimpses of Wembanyama’s fierce competitive nature. But this season, it seems to have evolved into a more aggressive, no-nonsense approach. On Saturday night against the Rockets, Wemby didn’t back down from Dillon Brooks, adding more fuel to the budding rivalry.

On a related note, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla recently suggested that the NBA should consider bringing back fighting, at least from an entertainment perspective. Interestingly, Wemby liked a Sideline Sources post about it—maybe Mazzulla isn’t the only one with that mindset.


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