Victor Wembanyama Sets Survey Record As NBA GMs’ Top Choice To Start Franchise

Victor Wembanyama received 93% of the votes as the player NBA general managers would most want to start a franchise with. That was up from 83% a year ago. The San Antonio Spurs star led eight categories in the 25th annual NBA GM Survey.

Wembanyama’s 93% set a record for the highest share in the survey’s history. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks also received votes.

GMs also see Wembanyama as the favorite for MVP as he received 77% of the votes, also a survey record. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets was second at 10%, and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards was third at 7%. Gilgeous-Alexander and Boston’s Jayson Tatum also received votes.

Last year, 67% of GMs picked Jokic to win MVP.

Wembanyama, 22, dominated the defensive categories. He received 97% of the votes for both best defensive player and best interior defender. He also topped the lists for most versatile player and the player who forces the most coaching adjustments.

Jokic still led Wembanyama in two head-to-head categories. GMs voted Jokic the best center, 63% to 37%, and the best international player, 53% to 47%.

Past GM picks for the player to start a franchise with:

2002-03: Shaquille O’Neal, 64%
2003-04: Tim Duncan, 57%
2004-05: Tim Duncan, 48%
2005-06: Tim Duncan, 40%
2006-07: LeBron James, 71%
2007-08: LeBron James, 59%
2008-09: LeBron James, 67%
2009-10: LeBron James, 79%
2010-11: Kevin Durant, 56%
2011-12: Kevin Durant and LeBron James (tie), 37%
2012-13: LeBron James, 80%
2013-14: LeBron James, 90%
2014-15: LeBron James, 50%
2015-16: Anthony Davis, 86%
2016-17: Karl-Anthony Towns, 48%
2017-18: Karl-Anthony Towns, 29%
2018-19: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 30%
2019-20: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 86%
2020-21: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic (tie), 43%
2021-22: Luka Doncic, 43%
2022-23: Giannis Antetokounmpo, 55%
2023-24: Nikola Jokic, 33%
2024-25: Victor Wembanyama, 77%
2025-26: Victor Wembanyama, 83%
2026-27: Victor Wembanyama, 93%