(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Defense seems to be a lost art in today’s NBA.
More than that, two-way players are hard to come across, let alone two-way players who can make an impact right away.
More often than not, good offensive players need a couple of years before being good on defense, and defensive-oriented players are usually a non-factor on offense for a while.
That’s not the case with Victor Wembanyama.
Besides his handles, playmaking, and shooting, he also proved to be an NBA-ready defender right out of the gate.
That’s why it’s not much of a surprise to see him be a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year in his first season (via NBA on TNT).
The 2023-24 #KiaDPOY finalists:
Bam Adebayo
Rudy Gobert
Victor Wembanyama pic.twitter.com/1RoZsV6kDR
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) April 21, 2024
It’s not usual to see a player from one of the league’s worst teams make this cut, but Wembanyama was the most impactful defender in the game by a significant margin.
His on-off metrics are remarkable, and the Spurs went from having a bottom-feeding defense to a top-five one when he was on the floor.
Of course, one could make a case for Bam Adebayo and Rudy Gobert — the other two finalists — for helping their team make the playoffs.
Still, if this is an individual award, it only makes sense that the player with the best individual stats takes it home, and that’s Wemby.
Wembanyama led the league in blocks by a wide margin, and he had more steals and blocks than several players combined.
He’s a generational talent, and don’t be shocked if he wins this and Rookie of the Year as well.
The post Victor Wembanyama Is A Finalist For Notable NBA Award appeared first on The Cold Wire.