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Coming back from an injury that derailed his 2024-25 season, Victor Wembanyama is playing with vengeance. The San Antonio Spurs star has made it clear that he wants to end the season with some personal accolades. The French phenom detailed three points that even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will be listening to closely.

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

“I think right now, there is still a reasonable debate”, said Wembanyama after dominating the Miami Heat in an easy 136-111 win. “My goal is to make sure there is no debate at the end of the season.”

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“My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game, which is undervalued in the race because I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively. The second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season, and we dominated them three times against their real team. My third argument would be that offensive impact is not just points.”

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The 7’5″ star was dictating everything on the floor as the Spurs had their sixth victory in a row and also clinched the Southwest Division. Wemby ended the night with 26 points on 50% from the floor with 14 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 4 assists in 26 minutes. It was his 15th 5-block performance this season, clearly backing his first point.

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Even the second point can’t be countered, because SGA led OKC, which had no answer for the Spurs. Wembanyama has led the Spurs to four wins over the Thunder and is only 3 games behind the current champions. Victor Wembanyama‘s final point is where Shai is currently leading.

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He has shot 52% or better overall in all but one month. The icing is the record 20-point streak. SGA is a true scoring machine with 31.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.6 assists in his favor. But there have been MVP candidates who have shot less than 25 points in a season to win the accolade.

Tim Duncan in 2002-03 and Curry, winning his first MVP in 2014-15, won the award with 23.3 and 23.8 points per game, respectively. And that’s what the French superstar wants everyone to take notice of.

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Why Victor Wembanyama is a true candidate to topple SGA’s parade?

Since February 1, they’ve had the best offense in the league and have only lost 2 games, that too in March. With Wemby in the lineup, the Spurs are on a 10-game winning run, and the French center is averaging 26.6 points and 10.8 rebounds in March. His lore continued further when he hit a game-winner with one second left on the clock against the Phoenix Suns last Thursday to secure the playoff berth.

Last season, Victor Wembanyama missed out on the DPOY accolade because of a serious deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in his right shoulder) that ended his second season prematurely. That’s why this season his goal is to compete and win both DPOY and the MVP award. “Right now, in my mind, is taking great care of my body cause I also want to win the MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year,” said Wemby 10 days ago after defeating the Charlotte Hornets 115–102.

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Even rivals and fellow MVP candidate, Jaylen Brown, had praised the Spurs star. “That boy Wemby is a problem,” Brown said. “When I say, I’m the best two-way player in the league, it’s not counting Wemby. Wemby don’t count. He’s not even human. I’m the best human player.”

Not too long ago, San Antonio lost 60 games two seasons ago. But now they have a guaranteed playoff spot and tie breaker over the current champions. This huge turnaround, led by their 22-year-old All-Star, who is truly MVP-worthy.

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Pranav Kotai

2,670 Articles

Pranav Kotai is an editor at EssentiallySports, specializing in basketball coverage with a focus on trade dynamics and front-office decision-making. Having previously worked on the Trade Desk vertical, he brought clarity to how salary cap pressures and roster needs shape NBA transactions. His insightful coverage of the Philadelphia 76ers’ decision to hold firm on Joel Embiid amid trade speculation highlights how market context and team strategy influence major roster moves. Before joining EssentiallySports, Pranav holds experience of skills in professional writing, editorial work, and digital content creation. He holds a postgraduate diploma in digital media from a reputed institute, where he mastered the tools to create engaging and credible content across various platforms. Known for his attention to detail, proficiency in storytelling, and editorial expertise, Pranav combines deep basketball knowledge with sharp analytical abilities to deliver clear, insightful perspectives on the complexities of NBA trades and team management.

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