Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama positions himself as a contender for the NBA MVP award.
MIAMI — Victor Wembanyama is making his intentions clear: He aims to secure the NBA’s MVP award this season.
The San Antonio standout — shortly after his team officially secured its first Southwest Division title in nine years — elaborated on his MVP candidacy Monday night following the Spurs’ impressive 136-111 victory over the Miami Heat, marking their 22nd win in the last 24 games.
“I have considered it,” Wembanyama stated. “I believe there is currently a discussion. There should be, even though I feel I should be leading the race. I’m working to ensure that by the end of the season, there is no discussion.”
Wembanyama is currently averaging 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.0 blocked shots per game. Only six players have concluded a season with such statistics — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar achieved this five times, Hakeem Olajuwon did it twice, while Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing, and David Robinson each accomplished it once. The sixth player on that list? That would be Wembanyama, who reached these numbers last season as well, albeit in just 46 games.
The current MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, is the clear frontrunner to win the award again. Following him is Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Wembanyama ranks next, holding the third-best odds as of Monday, just ahead of Denver’s Nikola Jokic. Others are considered significant long shots for the award at this stage, although the NBA’s 65-game eligibility rule for major awards — including MVP — could play a role. For instance, Jokic can only miss one more game before he is ineligible, while Wembanyama can afford to miss no more than three additional games. The Spurs have 10 games left in the season.
Wembanyama, who was named rookie of the year two years ago and was widely regarded as a strong candidate for defensive player of the year last season until he was sidelined due to deep vein thrombosis, has a three-part argument for his candidacy.
“My first point is that defense constitutes 50% of the game and is undervalued in the MVP discussion. I believe I am the most impactful defensive player in the league,” Wembanyama remarked. “The second point is that we nearly swept OKC this season, dominating them three times with their full roster. … The third point is that offensive impact is not solely measured by points.”
It is not surprising that the Spurs also view Wembanyama as more than just an MVP candidate.
“I think he’s close,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson commented. “All those players you mentioned are deserving; some of them have already received that award. And I am quite biased. I see one of those players every single night. I observe him on the practice court. I see what he does in the morning. I witness what he does right after the game. Therefore, I recognize that my perspective is very different from almost everyone else’s.”
“But he influences the game in every conceivable way — on both ends of the court, with and without the ball, and how the opposing team plans, schemes, and adjusts, on both sides of the game, in my humble opinion, as much as any other player I have ever seen. Take that for whatever itβs worth.”
The Spurs hold a record of 54-18. They are poised to be the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. They will have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and in the second round if they advance, and almost certainly would have it in the NBA Finals if they reach that stage. There are numerous factors contributing to this success, but the primary reason — quite literally, given that Wembanyama stands at 7-foot-4 — is a 22-year-old franchise cornerstone who has impressed the Spurs daily with his maturity and dedication.
The MVP awards are likely on the horizon. Wembanyama is eager to stop waiting.
“At this moment, it is still reasonable to have a discussion,” Wembanyama stated. “However, as I mentioned, my objective is to ensure there is no discussion by the end of the season.”
