Victor Wembanyama Is 22 and Already the League's Best Defender, Exactly Like He Said He Would Be

Victor Wembanyama just made good on a promise he made as a rookie. The San Antonio Spurs star captured the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award on Monday night, cementing himself as the next dominant force on that end of the floor. Remember when he was 20 years old and basically told the world that Rudy Gobert's DPOY reign was coming to an end? Yeah, that happened.

From Prediction to Reality

Right after Gobert won his fourth DPOY at the end of Wembanyama's rookie season in 2024, the then-20-year-old spoke in French about what was coming next. "I know that Rudy has a very good chance of winning it this year, and it would be deserved," Wembanyama said at the time. "Let him win it now, because after that, it's no longer his turn."

That confidence wasn't arrogance. That was a 7-foot-4 phenom who understood exactly what he was capable of. Now at 22, Wembanyama has become the youngest DPOY winner in league history. The kid didn't just make the leap from rookie to award winner, he skipped a few steps along the way.

The Road Back Wasn't Easy

Getting here took longer than even Wembanyama anticipated. He missed 36 games last season due to a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder, which left him ineligible for awards voting. It was a gut punch for a player in his second year, but the 7-footer responded by bouncing back and putting together the kind of defensive season that lands you hardware.

Wembanyama joins some legendary company in San Antonio. He's the Spurs' first DPOY winner since Kawhi Leonard, who won back-to-back awards in 2014-15 and 2015-16. If Wembanyama's hinting at consecutive wins like Leonard managed, the rest of the league should probably start paying attention.

What's Next

The DPOY is just the beginning. Wembanyama is also a finalist for MVP alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. His Spurs teammate Keldon Johnson, a Sixth Man of the Year finalist, knows exactly what makes Wembanyama tick. "Everything that he's achieved so far has been earned and never given," Johnson said. "He's one of the hardest workers I've ever been around. He takes his craft very seriously."

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.