After having his second season end prematurely, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama started his third historically. He’s the first player in NBA history to have over 100 points and 15 blocks in their team’s first three games. He’s also led the Spurs to a 3-0 record to start the season despite the absence of former All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox. Wembanyama’s strong start has already caused a top NBA analyst to weigh in on his chances to win multiple top awards this season.
After a Record-Breaking Start, How Are Victor Wembanyama’s MVP Chances?
Legendary NBA Analyst Stephen A Smith believes in Wembanyama. He said, “It wouldn’t surprise me if Victor Wembanyama won the DPOY and the MVP this year.” Wembanyama is averaging 33.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and six blocks per game. He’s shooting 56.9 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three. He has a plus/minus rating of +32 this season and is currently leading the league in win shares.
Wembanyama already feels like a lock for Defensive Player of the Year as long as he’s healthy. He has a 101 defensive rating this season so far, and since a lower number indicates a better rating, there’s room for him to climb even higher in the rankings. The current record is held by Hall of Famer Ben Wallace, who had a 93 defensive rating during the 2003-2004 season.
Congrats @wemby on winning @NBA Western Conference Player of the Week!
🌟 Averaged 33.3 PTS, 13.3 REB, 6 BLK, 2.3 AST
🌟 First player in NBA history to record 100+ points, 40+ rebounds and 15+ blocks through first three games pic.twitter.com/wGlwhdK90D— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) October 27, 2025
The Spurs have been a great defensive team this season. They currently rank second in the league, allowing only 105 points per game. They’re also ranked first in the league in opponents’ field goal percentage defense, as teams are only shooting 40.1% from the field against them. The Spurs finishing the year as a top-three defense will help strengthen Wembanyama’s case for the award.
Winning the Most Valuable Player Award seems much tougher for Wembanyama, despite leading the Spurs to an undefeated record so far, while Fox continues to rehab his right hamstring. The current award winner, Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, has led his team to a 3-0 start. He currently leads the league in scoring, 40 points per game, and shooting 52.7 percent from the field. His plus/minus rating is +28, and he has an excellent 108.5 defensive rating. Gilgeous-Alexander is a solid favorite to repeat if OKC stays on top of the West.
Three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic is having a poor shooting season. Still, the Denver Nuggets center is averaging a triple-double at 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and leading the league with 12.5 assists per game. Jokic will climb to the top of many lists once he inevitably breaks out of his shooting slump.
Then there’s Lakers’ guard Luka Doncic, who had two incredible games to start the season, but will be sidelined for at least a week with finger and leg soreness. Looking at the Eastern Conference, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is already in midseason form. The two-time league MVP is averaging 36 points, a league-leading 16 rebounds and seven assists per game, while shooting 68.3 percent from the field.
It seems unlikely that Wembanyama will make a run at the MVP Award unless the Spurs finish with a top-three seed in the West, but with the way he’s playing, he’s well on track to break a few records this season.
