When you think about Victor Wembanyama, what do you see? Do you see a tall, lanky kid, trying to prove himself to the world, or a future face of the entire league? Wembanyama has finally destroyed any doubt surrounding him with his latest accomplishment this season.

The 1st ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) in NBA history, not even the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon, Dikembe Mutombo, or even Ben Wallace could reach such an incredible feat, and the most disgusting fact is, he is only 22 Years old.

I wrote a blog not even 2 days ago about whether Wembanyama had what it takes to become the best defensive player ever, and I think I have just answered my own question. 3 straight block titles, more defensive player of the months than anyone in NBA History, this was not a close race, this was not a breakout season… this was a separation from good to great.

What Did Wemby Accomplish Winning DPOY?

Wembanyama was the 1st player in NBA history to receive every single vote for the DPOY award. He received all 100/100 1st-place votes, with no room for a close race. He is the youngest DPOY in NBA history, already racking up a career total of 627 blocks.

When you compare him to other historical greats like him, think about Hakeem Olajuwon, Kevin Garnett, even Rudy Gobert; none dominated the NBA like Wembanyama is doing right now, and certainly none ever dominated the voting like Wemby has.

This is not historical because of what he did; every single year, a DPOY is crowned. It is historical because of how early he was able to get his hands on the award and how decisive his swift victory was.

A Look Back On the League Breaking Stats

1. Rim Protection That Breaks Offenses

Victor Wembanyama came into the NBA as the best shot blocker the league has ever seen, and he never once failed to impress and overachieve for his millions of fans. He has led the NBA in BPG for the last 3 years, with there being a massive gap from 2nd place.

Opponents’ FG% is so low when being guarded by Victor Wembanyama; it is kind of hard to see how he didn’t win the DPOY every single season he has been in the league, until you realise that he hasn’t always been the healthiest player in the NBA.

2. Defensive Gravity Won Him The DPOY

Wembanyama won the DPOY for many reasons, but one of the main reasons I would have voted for him, and why many other analysts did, is because of his defensive gravity. When Victor Wembanyama is around, players hesitate to drive, second-guess their shots, and opt for a more long-range game plan. No other player in NBA history has struck such a fear into other pros’ eyes when thinking about drives and shots.

3. The On/Off Impact Is Critical

When Victor Wembanyama plays, the Spurs look like the best team in the NBA. They get their shots to go in, the defense is immaculate, and the team starts to click. Without Wembanyama, the Spurs drop significantly. Without Wemby, the Spurs have a 116.6 Defensive rating; with him, the Spurs jump all the way up to 110.

4. Volume + Discipline

The crazy part of Wembanyama’s DPOY run is that he did not foul as much as people think. Wemby denied 197 shots this season, the most in the league, but surprisingly only committed 156 fouls, a low total for such an active defensive center.

5. Two-Way Pressure

In order to win the defensive player of the year, you must have the highest possible positive impact on the defensive end for your team, and that is exactly what Victor Wembanyama did this season, but still contributed to turning the Spurs into one of the best offensive teams as well, averaging 25 PPG, while still handling the defense.

Why is This Different From Other DPOY Runs?

Victor Wembanyama not only led a former lottery team, which was one of the worst teams in the NBA only 2 years ago, to a true contender for a championship at 22, but he also led the league in contested shots, blocked shots, and even DFG%. The massive block gap and the team transformation are what pushed him into the unanimous territory.

Blocks are still just the visible part of what Wembanyama does, the true, real dominance that won him the DPOY is not how many shots he erases, it is what opponents don’t attempt that pushed him. This is already one of the most dominant defensive seasons ever, and the unanimous vote confirms the league-wide agreement: He is the future.

This is likely the 1st of many defensive player of the year wins for the young phenom, with the record for blocks realistic, the defensive GOAT debate might be changing very, very soon. This was not just a breakout season, this was the moment the world realised that they are not playing against a human; he is the future.

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