Victor Wembanyama builds MVP case as Spurs clinch division, end playoff drought
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander swept the regular-season and NBA Finals MVP awards last year en route to his first championship.
While Gilgeous-Alexander is having another strong season that has put him back in MVP discussions for 2025-26, Victor Wembanyama believes there should be a clear-cut favorite for the award.
Wembanyama scored 26 points in Monday’s win over the Miami Heat, helping the Spurs clinch a division title and end a six-season playoff drought, then declaring that he would silence any MVP debate.
"I have thought about it," the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year said. "I think right now, there is a debate. There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. I'm trying to make sure that at the end of the season, there's no debate."
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Wembanyama enters Wednesday's matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies averaging 24.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.0 blocked shots per game.
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While those numbers help bolster Wembanyama’s MVP case, others can make a case as well. In addition to Gilgeous-Alexander, Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, is also considered a top candidate.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić, already a three-time MVP, currently holds slightly better odds to win the award this year, with Wembanyama sitting third, according to data compiled by ESPN. New NBA rules require a minimum of 65 games played for a player to be eligible for the MVP award.
Wembanyama also laid out a three-part case to support his MVP bid.
"My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game and that it is undervalued so far in the MVP race. I believe I'm the most impactful player defensively in the league," Wembanyama said. "Second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season, and we dominated them three times with their real team. ... The third argument would be that offense impact is not just points."
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson voiced strong support for Wembanyama’s MVP campaign, pointing to the impact he sees every day behind the scenes.
"I think he's close," Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. "All those guys you named are deserving; a couple of them already have that award. And I'm very biased. I get to see one of those guys every single night. I get to see him on the practice court. I get to see what he does in the morning. I get to see what does right now, after the game. So, I understand my opinion and outlook and perspective is very different than almost everyone else."
San Antonio enters Wednesday with 54 wins and will head into the playoffs no lower than the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.
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