Wembanyama Doesn’t Hide: “I Want MVP and Defensive Player of the Year”

The season of Victor Wembanyama continues to reach new heights, and along with his performances, the ambition of the San Antonio Spurs star is growing as well. After the 115-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets, the French big man openly spoke about his goals for the regular season: winning both the MVP award and Defensive Player of the Year.

A very rare achievement in NBA history, but one that Wembanyama does not consider impossible.

If we don’t know that something is impossible, maybe we can still do it. Right now I’m trying to take care of my body because I want to win MVP and DPOY. I’m pushing the accelerator from now until the end of the season, focusing on recovery, sleep, and routine

Victor Wembanyama

Another dominant night

The game against Charlotte was yet another demonstration of Wembanyama’s all-around impact. The French big man led the team with 32 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks, shooting 54.2% from the field and 50% from three-point range.

Performances like this have become routine in a season where he has been a dominant presence. In 51 games, he is averaging 24.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1 steal, and 3 blocks, while shooting 50.6% from the field and 36% from beyond the arc.

Numbers that are pushing the Spurs to second place in the Western Conference with a 49-18 record, turning the team into one of the most feared squads in the league.

The race for MVP

Despite his outstanding season, the race for Most Valuable Player remains extremely competitive. Superstars such as Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are also in the mix, each delivering even more explosive offensive seasons.

Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander, for example, are both averaging over 30 points per game, a statistic that makes the competition even tighter.

However, Wembanyama has an advantage that few others can claim: his defensive impact.

The natural candidate for DPOY

If the MVP race remains wide open, the Defensive Player of the Year award seems perfectly within reach for the French big man.

With his combination of size, mobility, and defensive instincts, Wembanyama has become the anchor of the Spurs’ defense. His presence in the paint goes far beyond simply contesting shots: it often forces opponents to completely change the way they attack.

His defensive activity not only produces spectacular blocks, but also dramatically reduces the offensive efficiency of opposing teams.

A rare double achieved only by legends

Winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season is an achievement accomplished by very few players in NBA history. The most recent to do it was Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 201-20 season.

The Spurs know well how ambitious Wemby is. That is also why, as Keldon Johnson explained when discussing the team’s expectations, the French star’s list of goals is extremely long.

Victor probably has the longest list of goals in basketball history. A lot of those things are important for us too, but we have to set priorities. He’ll keep pushing us to reach new milestones

Keldon Johnson

For now, the priority remains simple: stay healthy and keep dominating on both ends of the floor. If he manages to do that until the end of the season, the race for individual awards could truly turn into something historic.