With San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, anything seems possible.
Will Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama Be First Player In NBA History To Win Triple Crown
At 7-foot-4, Wembanyama is a world unto himself. Indeed, The Extraterrestrial moniker more than just a nickname. He has guard skills, from crossovers to stepback 3s. He’s as dynamic a defender as his frame would suggest, covering ground and the rim in equal measure. While it’s seen as a lost art in the modern era, he’s also working on his post game.
Averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game on .465-.325-.796 splits, the 20-year-old was the runaway winner for the 2024 Rookie of the Year award. He performed so well that there calls for him to be named the Defensive Player of the Year as well, though he lost out to Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert. Wembanyama was forced to settle for an All-Defensive selection, becoming one of just rookie players to make an All-Defensive team.
Amazingly, he ranked 20th in votes for an All-NBA selection. Had he made one of the three teams, he would’ve been just one of 22 rookies to do so. Only four of those players have done it over the last 45 seasons.
Fittingly, Spurs legend Tim Duncan is the last rookie to have made an All-Defensive and All-NBA team.
Making History
Nobody has ever won Most Improved Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Valuable Player in the same season. Yet, Wembanyama seems like he can be the first to win what would be an NBA Triple Crown.
How Wemby Can Win DPOY
Already, Wembanyma seems bound to win a Defensive Player of the Year award in the near future.
His peers are quick to praise his ability to blanket the rim. In fact, he led the NBA in blocks per game as a rookie. Furthermore, he’s a modern big man built to guard out in space, giving him an advantage over players like Gobert. If he can replicate last season’s production and become sturdier while defending in the low-post, he could be the favorite to win.
How Wemby Can Win MIP
With how well Wembanyama played last season, the biggest obstacle may be winning Most Improved Player of the Year. However, helping him is the fact that there isn’t exactly a set definition for ‘Most Improved.’ It isn’t the player who has the biggest jump in their scoring average, or else Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas would’ve won last season. It can’t be who wins the most games. That’s evidenced by Oklahoma City Thunder swingman Jalen Williams not even being a finalist.
Based on Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey, who won the award last season, it may be both. Interestingly, this increases the importance of Chris Paul’s addition. As one of the best smartest players and best passers, Paul will take advantage of Wembanyama’s height advantage in ways the Spurs point guards couldn’t last season. This is with regard to his pick-and-roll play, look ahead passes, and post entry passes.
Paul’s clutch gene is also worth mentioning, as San Antonio doesn’t have to rely so much on Wembanyama in those moments. Of course, the young star’s competitiveness shines when the lights get bright. However, what made Cerberus so valuable was that he had three heads. With Wembanyama, Paul, and Devin Vassell, the Spurs do too.
How Wemby Can Win MVP
If Wembanyama is putting up massive numbers, he could be in Most Valuable Player consideration. Again, Paul should help him score a few additional baskets per game. That alone could lead to an MVP-caliber scoring average. Defensively, he’s bound to have eye-popping statlines thanks to how well he uses his length.
However, the most important number may be in the win-loss column. Though the Spurs don’t have to be first in the conference they have to at least be a playoff team. It’ll help if they can be one of the top four seeds. This is a tall task, even for Wembanyama. Yet, there’s reason to believe that San Antonio can clinch a postseason berth.
With the emergence of the Play-In Tournament, the Spurs only have to be a top-10 seed in the regular season. If they can beat out five teams, they have a shot.
Who Could The Spurs Beat Out
The Portland Trail Blazers could be the worst team in the conference. Their best players may have already peaked and their young pieces still have a lot to learn. The Utah Jazz find themselves in a similar situation. It’s one reason why they seriously considered moving Lauri Markkanen, the face of the franchise, this offseason.
The Houston Rockets seem a bit further along in their development. However, Jalen Green is as inconsistent as any player in the NBA, and their success largely rests on his shoulders. Then there’s the Los Angeles Clippers. After losing Paul George in the offseason, the Clippers could be in store for a tough year. If Kawhi Leonard is unable to stay healthy, it’ll be that much worse.
Lastly, beating out the Golden State Warriors seems like a pipe dream. Nonetheless, in 2023-34, the mighty Warriors missed the playoffs for the third time in the last five seasons. Furthermore, there’s a real chance that the Warriors regress next season. Many of core players are getting long in the tooth or have maxed out their talent. Their young pieces haven’t played long enough for there to be an unshakable confidence in their consistency. They also lost Klay Thompson in the offseason.
Ultimately, it’s fair to say that San Antonio could challenge for a playoff spot, especially if luck is on their side.
