Should Victor Wembanyama Be Considered For NBA Defensive Player Of The Year?
Victor Wembanyama is on a quick observe to win the Rookie of the 12 months award within the NBA. The race was between him and Chet Holmgren for a lot of the common season, however the final 10 or so video games from Wembanyama have seen him take a commanding lead on the chances board.
However is there one other prestigious award that the first-year phenom from the San Antonio Spurs deserves consideration for?
NBA: Ought to Wembanyama Be Thought of For DPOY?
Defensive stats this season:
Wemby — 72 STL | 186 BLK | 107.4 DRTG
Davis — 66 STL | 145 BLK | 109.9 DRTG
Gobert — 35 STL | 128 BLK | 104.0 DRTGWho’s the DPOY? pic.twitter.com/CZV9tHj29X
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 5, 2024
It was recognized that Wembanyama could be a sport changer on the defensive finish attributable to his freakish athletic potential and other-worldly size and body. However the impression that he has had in his rookie season and at such a younger age has been one thing of a revelation, particularly throughout his current sizzling streak.
Over the past 8 video games, Wembanyama is placing up 24.6 factors and knocking down almost 12 rebounds per, however it’s on the defensive finish the place he has been most spectacular and impactful. Throughout the streak, he’s blocking an astounding common of 5.4 photographs, and has 2.5 steals per contest as well.
However regardless of the dominance on that finish of the ground, he’s nonetheless effectively behind when it comes to consideration for the Defensive Participant of the 12 months award.
Gobert Nonetheless Has Commanding Lead Primarily based On Odds
Rudy Gobert dominated with 25 PTS & 16 REB because the Timberwolves took down the Path Blazers 🐺 pic.twitter.com/dIzOmMNmqH
— NBA (@NBA) March 5, 2024
The {hardware} has been Rudy Gobert’s to lose for a lot of the season. There weren’t many gamers having almost the identical kind of defensive impression, however Wembanyama was one in every of them.
And due to his elevated play over the previous couple of weeks, the Spurs heart really has much better numbers than Gobert in a lot of an important classes on the board. He has 186 blocks, almost 30 greater than anybody else and almost 60 greater than Gobert. His 72 steals rank fifteenth within the league total, which is greater than double the quantity that Gobert has.
There are some numbers working in Gobert’s favor, although. He leads the league in defensive ranking and is on arguably the perfect defensive group within the league, and clearly has the pedigree as a former winner of the award. And whereas voter fatigue is actually a factor that might be included within the case in opposition to Minnesota’s large man, there’s little to no likelihood {that a} rookie would win two of essentially the most sought-after common season awards within the NBA, particularly one taking part in for a backside feeding group like San Antonio.
Most sports activities books have Rudy Gobert as a large favourite to win Defensive Participant of the 12 months at a quantity someplace round -750, with Wembanyama listed at +750.