The NBA has entered an era where offensive players enjoy easy scoring, thanks to rules designed to favor them. There have been claims that nobody plays defense in the NBA anymore, except for a bit of intensity in the playoffs. Victor Wembanyama has dismissed these claims, believing that the defensive side often steals the show.
Victor Wembanyama Defends the State of NBA Defense
Wembanyama, at just 22, has been strengthening his case as the future face of the league. His 2025–26 season is shaping up to be a defining chapter in his early NBA legacy, as he has emerged as one of the most prolific two-way players.
The San Antonio Spurs standout’s dominance lies on the defensive end, where his rim protection, shot-blocking, and ability to guard multiple positions have been nothing short of phenomenal at a time when the league is heavily tilted toward offense.
Wembanyama also secured a spot in the MVP race, among top names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, and this season’s leading scorer, Luka Dončić. Now the Spurs have officially clinched a spot in the 2026 NBA Playoffs, with a guaranteed home-court advantage in the first round, after extending their win streak to eight in the recent matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks. They are expecting a deep postseason run.
As one of the youngest team leaders, Wembanyama recently addressed a claim that has been circulating online for quite some time: that nobody plays defense in the NBA. While some may agree with this notion, the 22-year-old disagreed, stating that his experience since entering the league has contradicted that.
“Before I got here it’s a lot of talk about the NBA that nobody plays defense anymore or like there’s no defense in the NBA. I heard that a lot before coming here but it’s just not true. Players are just that good… People actually do guard in the NBA and do lots of scouting,” he said.
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Earlier in March, MVP-caliber Serbian big man Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, the franchise cornerstone who led the team to an NBA title in 2023, shared a similar viewpoint, calling the “no defense played in the NBA” claim “nonsense.”
“The NBA is by far the best league in the world, with the best players. I am glad we are talking about this because when people say that there’s no defense played in the NBA… that’s such nonsense. Whoever says that, whether it’s a coach or someone else, either doesn’t understand the game, doesn’t watch it, or if they do watch it, then they still don’t understand it.”
Wembanyama is averaging 24.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3 assists per game this season, and he has also climbed to No. 1 on the MVP ladder, as he is arguably the best player to watch on both offense and defense.
