Victor Wembanyama Stays Humble After Becoming 1st to Win Unanimous DPOY

Victor Wembanyama became first unanimous NBA defensive player of the year at age of 22.

Victor Wembanyama Stays Humble After Becoming 1st to Win Unanimous DPOY

Women went gaga over Victor Wembanyama (Image credits - Firstsportz)

In Short
  • Victor Wembanyama became the youngest player to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award unanimously.
  • He scored a game-high 35 points in his playoff debut, leading the Spurs to a victory over the Trail Blazers.
  • Wembanyama is being hailed as the future face of the NBA, with analysts predicting a long and successful career ahead.

It has been an eventful last few days for Victor Wembanyama. He took the San Antonio Spurs to their first playoffs appearance since 2019 and led them to a convincing 111-98 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers at the Frost Bank Center in game one of the first round. He was named as a top-three finalist for the MVP award and was named the unanimous Defensive Player of the Year on Monday.

After being named the winner, Wembanyama was sitting next to his mother and was delighted about the accomplishment.

It feels great. My Mom is sitting here next to me. The real struggle might have been getting to 65 games. But I’m super happy to win this award and super proud to be the first ever unanimous [winner].

Victor Wembanyama on NBA on NBC

Ever since being drafted by the Spurs as the number one pick of the 2023 NBA draft, Victor Wembanyama has been touted for greatness. His ceiling is limitless, and he is bound to go down as one of the greatest players of all time, barring any injuries.

Currently in his third season in the NBA, Wembanyama has established himself as one of the best players and is expected to dominate the league for years to come. His peers have already labeled him as the best two-way player in the NBA.

At 22, Wembanyama is the youngest ever DPOY and the first-ever to win it unanimously. In his rookie season, he was voted in second place for the award. If not for the 65-game rule, he would have won it last year as well.

It looks like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the heavy favorite to win consecutive MVP awards, but if Wemby does win it, he will be the youngest ever to do so. The Frenchman is accomplishing and breaking records as he was expected to since entering the league. He will be targeting to break the current record for most DPOYs. Rudy Gobert, Ben Wallace, and Dikembe Mutombo have all won four each, and the record is in serious jeopardy already.

Victor Wembanyama shines in his postseason debut

There has been a lot of talk surrounding Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs on how they will perform in the postseason. With a young roster, the team led by Wemby does not have much postseason experience. However, that did not seem to be the case on Sunday night.

Victor Wembanyama and his Spurs teammates walking off
Victor Wembanyama on his playoffs debut (Image via Spurs/X)

The Spurs center put on a show as he scored a game-high 35 points to go along with five rebounds and two blocks. He was efficient from the field and from beyond the arc. His performance may have come against an eighth seed, but it did leave many impressed.

The Spurs have been one of the best teams in the league throughout the 2025-26 regular season. They finished second in the Western Conference standings with a 62-20 record and were the only team to win the head-to-head series against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. They beat the Thunder four times in five meetings this season, including the semifinals win in the NBA Cup.

Victor Wembanyama will be the face of the league

There is no doubt that Victor Wembanyama will be the face of the league for a long time. LeBron James and Stephen Curry continue to play at a high level but are at the backend of their careers. James has carried the league on his shoulders for nearly two decades, and it looks like the time is right for Wemby to take over.

NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith gave Wemby his flowers and believes that the 22-year-old will be the face of the league.

I think Wemby is capable of anything. I think he’s a superstar. I think he’s going to be the face of the league. I think he’s absolutely sensational in every superlative that you want to throw in his direction. None of us are in position to disagree.

Stephen A. Smith on First Take

All eyes will be on Wemby and the Spurs in the postseason. The player is confident of taking his team on a deep run this year despite the lack of experience. With Wemby in the squad, anything is possible and he is just getting started.

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