After his win against the Charlotte Hornets, Victor Wembanyama said he wants to win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. After putting up a well-rounded 32-point game against the Hornets, this goal seemed achievable. But with only four more games he can miss to meet the minimum games played to be eligible for awards. On top of that, it is an uphill battle to unseat multiple former MVPs ranked above him.
Victor Wembanyama Wants To Win MVP, But Can He?
Wembanyama’s Numbers In March
Victor Wembanyama has improved his stats in March with two near 40-point double-doubles as highlights. He is shooting lights out and increasing his three-point attempts this month as well. He is up to 4.1 blocks per game, which serves as one of the main reasons the Spurs are 17-1 in their last 18 games. His 28.6 points per game in March is a great sign for his MVP hopes.
Players in recent memory who don’t average around 30 rarely win MVP. Wembanyama’s personal and team success are both valid reasons why he stands a legitimate chance are winning both of these awards. However, with some extremely great players to compete with, his great play has to become the norm, and not the peak.
How Close Is Wembanyama To Other Candidates?
In terms of DPOY voting, Wembanyama should be a lock—if he stays healthy. When it comes to MVP voting, it is a different story entirely. Wembanyama recently passed Nikola Jokic in MVP voting and is behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at number two. Nikola Jokic is averaging a triple-double, something that usually spells well for him when hunting an MVP. SGA recently broke Wilt Chamberlain’s streak of 20-point games. Both are stiff competition.
What makes this race even more messy is the fact that all of these candidates are at risk of being disqualified. Notably, Jokic is only two missed games away from leaving the race. If Wemby gets any sort of injury so close to the playoffs, his hopes of winning MVP are most likely dashed. He will have to stay healthy and outplay Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the rest of the regular season.
What Would The MVP and DPOY Mean For Him?
With a successful bid for the league’s most prestigious individual award, Wemby would become the youngest MVP ever. With both an MVP and a DPOY, he would become the fourth player to achieve both in a season. He would join former Spur David Robinson as a player to have won both MVP and DPOY in their careers.
The chance to become DPOY has been seen by some fans as being stolen from Wembanyama. In his rookie season, he was clearly the most dominant defender but lost the award due to his team’s lackluster defense. In his second season, injuries disqualified him. Although accolades don’t tell us things we don’t already know about Wembanyama, there is no denying the significance.
Wembanyama said after being drafted that he was “trying to win a ring ASAP.” Whether it is championships or MVPs, if he wants to be the GOAT, he needs to win now.
© Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
