SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama is among the more heralded NBA prospects in recent memory and is already discussed as one of the most game-changing talents in basketball.
In a Friday episode of the Locked On NBA podcast, hosts Wes Goldberg and Adam Mares debated whether that could mean Wembanyama is a candidate for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award as soon as his rookie season.
“The thing in today’s NBA with voting … is it’s not just overall impact, they want to see versatility," Mares said.
Wembanyama has the 11th-best odds to win the award on the FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sports betting partner of the Locked On Podcast Network. That may seem high, but throughout his young pro career, he has been an elite rim protector and game-changer on defense.
“The thing that was underrated about his performance at Summer League is that his defensive impact actually was real, but we also saw that he very much was a young player who doesn’t know the game yet," Mares added. "He still has a lot to learn.”
Still, even if he's elite blocking shots for a rookie, the reality remains that he is seeing the speed, physicality and skill of the NBA game for the first time.
“It’s so hard to be a rim protector as a rookie in the NBA. It’s harder than it’s ever been," Goldberg said. "That being said, if he does lead the league in blocks, (voters will consider him).”
In the past, the only two rookies to finish in the top five of Rookie of the Year were Tim Duncan and Manute Bol, two of the best defensive players in NBA history.
“If Wembanyama wins it this year, he might just get 15 of these," Mares said. "They might just have to get rid of it.”