Victor Wembanyama was the favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year last season before he missed the second half of the year due to a shoulder issue. Wembanyama is once again the favorite for the award -- and the only thing that can stop him is the 65-game threshold.
The San Antonio Spurs have had a player win the Defensive Player of the Year award four times in franchise history: Kawhi Leonard won the award in 2015 and 2016, David "The Admiral" Robinson won in 1992, and Alvin Robertson won in 1986. Perhaps inexplicably, the best defender in franchise history, Tim Duncan, never once took home that trophy.
Victor Wembanyama may win four such DPOY awards himself. He was the preseason and midseason favorite to win the award last season as a sophomore before he was diagnosed with Deep Vein Thrombosis and his season ended at 46 games. The threshold to qualify for end-of-season awards in the NBA is now 65 games, so Wembanyama was ineligible for voting last season.
Evan Mobley won the award, becoming one of the youngest in NBA history to do so. He joined Leonard, Robertson, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Dwight Howard in winning the award at age 23. Wembanyama, were he to win this season, would win at age 22.
He is the [preseason favorite once again](https://sportsbook.fanduel.com/navigation/nba) to win the award, and with the Spurs set up to be a much-improved team this season, the setting seems right for him to bring home the award. In fact, there is only one real barrier to Wembanyama winning: reaching that 65 game threshold.
If Wembanyama is healthy, he will win Defensive Player of the Year
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Last season, Wembanyama led the entire NBA in blocks. He did not play in 36 games and still finished with 28 more blocks than Al Horford in second place (also, Horford finishing second at age 38 is remarkable). Mobley played in 71 games and had just 110 blocks. Wembanyama absolutely dominates the field. This is a statistic that stands out and is still largely viewed positively and will be a huge supporting factor to winning the award.
The advanced metrics obviously love Wembanyama as well. His rim-protection numbers are stellar, he is near the league leaders in deflections, and a mediocre Spurs defense is disastrous when he is off the court. Having a real backup center in Luke Kornet will help the on-off numbers, but his impact is still clearly seen in the underlying metrics.
There will be other challengers for the award. Amen Thompson and Chet Holmgren have never won but have plenty of momentum. Mobley and Jackson Jr. will likely once again be among the league's best defenders. Rudy Gobert, Ivica Zubac and Giannis Antetokounmpo are veterans with plenty of clout.
None of them can hold a candle to Wembanyama if he is healthy. The narrative behind him is ready to anoint him; his counting stats will be through the roof; the advanced numbers recognize the level of impact he brings. Unless he suffers a long-term injury or has a recurrence of his DVT, this is Wembanyama's award to lose.
It's time to start making room in the trophy case.