In an extraordinary season that will be etched in NBA history, Victor Wembanyama, the first-year phenom from France, redefined the standards for rookies. While other rookies may have scored more points, grabbed more rebounds, executed more blocks, or grabbed more steals, never before has there been a rookie who managed to tally such impressive averages across the board in their inaugural season: a staggering 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game.
This past Monday, anticipation turned to celebration as the young juggernaut from France, who plays for the San Antonio Spurs, was announced as the unanimous winner of the NBA’s coveted Rookie of the Year award. Wembanyama, a No. 1 overall draft pick much like the greats David Robinson in 1990 and Tim Duncan in 1998, follows their legacy in becoming the third player from the Spurs to win the award. Like his predecessors, he too was immediately recognized as a center powerhouse, destined to steer the Spurs towards glory.
Following the announcement, Wembanyama expressed his sentiments on the network’s NBA playoff pregame show, “My goals were always to help my team as best as I could while striving to improve throughout the year,”. He understood well that this illustrated his promise to perform exceptionally as an individual player while maintaining a dominant presence on the court. Receiving this coveted accolade meant a great deal to him, underlining his importance to the sport that’s finally officially recognized.
This Rookie of the Year honor places Wembanyama in rarefied company: only five other players since the award’s 1952 debut have managed to snag every first-place vote. These exceptional players include Ralph Sampson (Houston, 1984), Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers, 2011), Damian Lillard (Portland, 2013), and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota, 2016), and of course, David Robinson, who preceded Wembanyama in the Spurs.
The competition for the award was indeed close. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren and Brandon Miller from Charlotte were worthy contenders. Regardless, the decision was unanimous with all 99 first-place votes from the league covering panel of reporters and broadcasters going to the French prodigy.
The young star’s thirst for improvement seems insatiable. “Physically, the work is never going to be done,” Wembanyama declared. The 7-footer from France plans to continue to work on his physical fitness and overall technique, pushing his boundaries and seeking innovative ways to refine his already impressive basketball skills.
Wembanyama holds the distinction of being the first international award recipient since Luka Doncic in 2019, making him the fifth such honoree in the past decade, following Andrew Wiggins (Canada, 2015), Karl-Anthony Towns (Dominican Republic, 2016), Ben Simmons (Australia, 2018), and Luka Doncic (2019).
Additionally, Wembanyama has joined the ranks of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson as only the fourth player to ever complete a season with a minimum of 1,500 points, 250 assists, and 250 blocked shots.
As for his transition from France to Texas, the towering athlete admits that his family has adjusted well to life in the Lone Star State. He expressed his belief that the United States “is the best country in the world for an athlete.”
The celebration may continue for Wembanyama as he is among the top three prospects for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award, which is to be announced Tuesday, with Rudy Gobert from Minnesota and Miami’s Bam Adebayo being the other contenders.
Certainly, anticipation mounts towards Wednesday when the NBA will reveal its MVP, for which Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Dallas’ Luka Doncic or Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are the top contenders.
