Fresh off leading the San Antonio Spurs to their first Southwest Division title in nine years, Victor Wembanyama is now openly making his case for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. After a dominant 136-111 win over the Miami Heat, Wembanyama made it clear where he stands in the race.
“I have thought about it,” Wembanyama said. “I think right now, there is a debate. There should be, even though I think I should lead the race. I’m trying to make sure that at the end of the season, there’s no debate.”
“My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game and that it is undervalued so far in the MVP race. I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league. Second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season, and we dominated them three times with their real team. … The third argument would be that offense impact is not just points.”
Despite his push, the race remains competitive. Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to lead the field, with Luka Doncic also firmly in the mix. Denver’s Nikola Jokic is close behind, though eligibility concerns tied to the 65-game rule are beginning to loom over several candidates.
Inside the Spurs organisation, belief in Wembanyama is unwavering. Head coach Mitch Johnson offered a strong endorsement when speaking to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“I think he’s close,” Johnson said. “All those guys you named are deserving; a couple of them already have that award. And I’m very biased. I get to see one of those guys every single night. I get to see him on the practice court. I get to see what he does in the morning. I get to see what does right now, after the game. So, I understand my opinion and outlook and perspective is very different than almost everyone else.
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