As the San Antonio Spurs prepare to face the OKC Thunder in the semifinals, Spurs fans will breathe easy as Victor Wembanyama is expected to play. Even though he is recovering from a left calf strain, he hasn’t slowed down and continues to believe he’s the best. However, Victor Wembanyama didn’t need much time to think when ESPN asked him to name the NBA’s best player.

Wemby made sure to give Nikola Jokic his flowers, calling the Nuggets star “the best offensive player,” but he also drew a clear line. “I don’t think he’s the best player… I think it’s between Giannis and Shai,” Wembanyama said. However, Wemby isn’t giving the space when he returns.

“When I come back on the court, I think it will be me.”

Before getting hurt, Wembanyama was putting up monster numbers, averaging 26.2 points while shooting over 50 percent from the field. He was already being mentioned in early MVP conversations and believes the best version of himself is still ahead with a good amount of games yet to be played.

Since going down on Nov. 14, Wembanyama hasn’t been sitting still. He’s quietly worked his way back, pushing through conditioning and slowly ramping up his on-court load. After finishing the cardio portion of a workout at T-Mobile Arena, he admitted he was “just a little tired,” but that session also cleared him to play.

Earlier in the week, he surprised teammates with a workout at Tulane, starting with 2-on-2 action before moving up to full 5-on-5 runs in Los Angeles. The push to return has been constant. Teammate Keldon Johnson said Wembanyama “has been lobbying since the day it happened” to get back on the floor.

Though everyone’s eager for Wemby’s comeback, it’s his Jokic comment that’s really got fans talking.

Fans react to Wemby’s confidence and the Jokic-Giannis-Shai debate

One fan couldn’t contain their excitement and wrote, “THANK YOU OMFGGG!!! You can’t be the best player in the world if you’re just great on offense. It’s so simple to real hoopers.” Jokic may have an incredible offensive rating of 144.3 this season, but being a truly great NBA player usually means more than just scoring. Defense matters, too.

The ball isn’t always in play, and stopping your opponent is just as important as putting points on the board. Look at legends like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant, arguably two of the best ever; they dominated on both ends of the court.

Another fan jumped in, saying, “No real human being is taking Jokic over Giannis DEFENSIVELY. Wemby knows ball 🤞🏽” Giannis Antetokounmpo can guard all five positions and has earned the 2020 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, along with multiple All-Defense First Team honors. But for Wemby fans, none is better than the ‘big’ guy himself.

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Another fan questioned the comparison, saying, “If Jokic is the best offensive player… how is Shai a better overall player?! He ain’t doing anything crazy on D.”

The debate has been there for long. Both Nikola and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are MVP candidates this season. Jokic is putting up 29.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, and shooting 61% from the field, 41% from three, and 86% from the line, with a 72% true shooting.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn’t far behind, averaging 32.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and shooting 56/45/88 with a 69% true shooting. It’s a tight, cutthroat race.

Another fan quipped, “Bro thinks he’s better than Shai, Giannis, and Jokic 😂 I like the confidence but these comments are gonna backfire on him this year, playoff hoop gonna hit him like a bag of bricks.” The doubt isn’t coming out of nowhere

Wembanyama is still only in his third season, and injuries have already followed him early in his career, turning availability into a real question mark. This season in particular, he’s drifting dangerously close to missing the NBA’s 65-game requirement to qualify for major end-of-year awards.

Another fan doubled down on Wembanyama’s belief, cutting straight to the point: “If he can stay healthy he will be.”In Year 3, Wembanyama has clearly adjusted his game. He’s taking fewer rushed threes, picking his spots better, and leaning more into easy points around the rim. The result is a cleaner, smarter offensive approach that looks far more controlled than before. Add to that his defensive presence, he’s still the league’s most feared rim protector.