Victor Wembanyama is heating up as the season winds down and leading the Kia MVP chase.
Wembanyama’s Defensive Impact
Victor Wembanyama has 17 blocks in his last 3 games. He is averaging nearly as many blocks this season as the Jazz, Nuggets and Bucks.
His two-way ability is more balanced than anyone’s, meaning he’s irresistibly watchable on offense and defense.
An “Alien” in the NBA
The NBA is fortunate to have Victor Wembanyama. He brings freakish height and is far more skilled than anyone over 7-foot-2 the league has ever seen.
His impact has been quick, steady and certifiable in his third season. He’s already among the best players in the league, and his team, the San Antonio Spurs, is among the best teams in the league.
His ceiling is so high that there’s great anticipation and imagination about how legendary he could become.
His worldliness and maturity are seldom, if ever, seen in young players. Basically, he gets it.
- Wembanyama is a talent who checks all boxes.
- He is equipped to last for more than a decade.
- He is equipped to leave a lasting impression along the way.
MVP Potential
Wembanyama is certain to collect Kia MVP awards in the future.
As the Kia Race to the MVP grinds down to the last remaining strides, Wembanyama has shattered any notions about his readiness. He’s just 22, but there’s no need for him to wait his turn or pay his dues.
Wembanyama is ready now because the evidence is compelling enough, and if he does capture the award this season, he’ll become only the second 22-year-old, after Derrick Rose, to do so.
There’s a new No. 1 on the Kia MVP Ladder and it’s the player who’s influencing wins at both rims and has his team within range of securing the top seed in the West.
Guards Clash
The clash of perhaps the best guards in the NBA, and certainly the highest on the MVP Ladder, happens Thursday when Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander square off. If they spend considerable time guarding each other, it gives each a chance to demonstrate where they are defensively, because both are tough assignments for anyone.
Only four players since Michael Jordan have led the NBA in scoring with at least a 33-point average: Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Joel Embiid and Dončić.
In his quest to get that award, Wembanyama seems ahead of schedule. And that schedule, for a player who came with considerable expectations, was greased to begin with.