Wemby's Defense: Why Draymond's Right to Call Out the Obvious

Draymond Green, bless his unfiltered heart, found himself in a familiar spot this week: stirring the pot, then sipping from it. He was talking about Victor Wembanyama's recent comments on winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, and specifically, Wemby's assertion that he "already put the DPOY in my mind." Green said he "hated" it but "absolutely loved" it. I get it. It's classic Draymond. But here’s the real talk: Wembanyama shouldn't even have to say that out loud.

Thing is, the DPOY conversation should be baked into Wemby’s game by default. He's 7-foot-4, with an 8-foot wingspan. He's a walking cheat code in the paint. Last season, his rookie year, he led the league with 3.6 blocks per game. That's not just good; that's historic. Mark Eaton, Manute Bol, Hakeem Olajuwon – those are the names you're talking about when someone averages that many blocks. Wemby also swiped 1.2 steals a night, showing he's not just a rim protector but a disruptive force everywhere. He finished second in DPOY voting, behind Rudy Gobert, and frankly, he probably deserved it more than a few voters gave him credit for. The Spurs were 29th in defensive rating at 117.8, but imagine how much worse they would've been without him swatting shots like flies.

The MVP Talk is Premature

Now, about the MVP. Look, Wembanyama is generational. We all saw the triple-double with blocks against the Raptors on February 12th, where he dropped 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks. That's absurd. He averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game for the season. Those are All-Star numbers, no question. But MVP? Not yet. Not when the Spurs won just 22 games. Nikola Jokic won MVP averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists for a 57-win Nuggets team in 2023. Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 27.7 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists for a 60-win Bucks squad in 2019. You need team success, and frankly, the Spurs are a long way from contending, even with Wemby. He can put up monster individual numbers, but the MVP award has always been tied to winning, and for good reason.

Defense Defines Greatness

Here’s my hot take: if Wembanyama doesn't win DPOY within the next two seasons, it'll be a massive disappointment. Not because he isn't trying, but because his physical tools are so unique, he *should* dominate that award for years. We talk about LeBron James being an all-around player, but even he had his defensive peaks. Michael Jordan won DPOY in 1988, averaging 3.2 steals and 1.6 blocks that season, alongside his MVP and scoring title. Defense is what separates the merely great from the all-time legends. For a guy with Wemby's measurables, defense shouldn't be a goal; it should be his identity, his baseline. He needs to own that end of the floor, make it his personal domain.

I predict Victor Wembanyama will win Defensive Player of the Year next season, 2024-25, and lead the league in blocks by a significant margin.