Victor Wembanyama’s chances of winning Defensive Player of the Year

The rookie’s recent surge has narrowed the gap, with hopes of becoming the first rookie to win this award.

Over the past couple of weeks, the debate over the Defensive Player of the Year award has heated up. Oddsmakers in Vegas have noticed a significant change, with Victor Wembanyama closing in on the favorite, Rudy Gobert. This has sparked intense discussions across various platforms, grabbing the attention of national media figures.

The latest discussion unfolded on the Bill Simmons podcast, where the idea of Wembanyama as a contender was briefly entertained by the host. However, co-host Ryen Russillo disagreed, suggesting that a player’s team record shouldn’t be the deciding factor for the award. Conversely, Simmons argued that the award should go to the best defender on the NBA’s top-ranked defensive team, supporting Gobert’s candidacy.

Looking back at the past five seasons, winners have often come from either the best defensive team or one ranked in the top four defensively. Since the Spurs currently struggle defensively, ranking 23rd in defensive rating, advocating for Wembanyama becomes challenging. However, his superior statistical performance compared to Gobert and his tangible impact on the court, like deterring opponents from attacking the rim, must be considered. Yet, quantifying such impacts remains tricky with standard statistics.

This season presents something remarkable, but to secure the award, advocates like Russillo must persuade voters like Simmons, who prioritize team success. Ultimately, if this proves to be successful, Wemby could be the first rookie ever to win this award.

This photo is quite amusing, as Wembanyama towers over Dennis Schröder, who stands just over 6’0” tall.

It’s a special feeling to be mentioned alongside these legends, indicating that Wembanyama is well on his way to becoming a standout player in the league.

When Vic finds himself in a mismatch like this one, it’s reminiscent of a dad playing basketball against his kid.

The banter between the media was entertaining, especially with Coach Popovich claiming that all of his best wines are older than Victor.

The Spurs are set to return home on Tuesday night, and this awesome graphic highlights the occasion.