Victor Wembanyama has made his case for MVP, explaining why he deserves the award this season. In what has been one of the closest races in years, the contest featuring Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić, and Luka Dončić is expected to be decided in the final games of the regular season.
Victor Wembanyama’s Case for 2026 NBA MVP
Wembanyama has been nothing short of phenomenal at 22 and has quickly risen to No. 2 on the MVP leaderboard. According to NBA.com, the San Antonio Spurs star currently trails reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder. One of the best rim protectors in the NBA, Wembanyama is averaging 24 points per game and is aiming to become only the third Spur to win MVP, after David Robinson (1995) and Tim Duncan (2002, 2003).
Shooting over 50% from the field while averaging 11 rebounds and three blocks per game, Wembanyama recently posted 26 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks in a blowout win over the Miami Heat. Speaking later at a press conference, the 22-year-old explained why he deserves to be the first Spurs MVP in over two decades.
He noted how opponents often avoid attacking the paint when he is on the floor, as he fundamentally alters how teams approach offense. He reasoned that his defense is one for the record books, inarguably the best in the league right now.
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“My goal is to make sure that there’s no debate anymore at the end of the season. My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game, and that is undervalued so far in your race. I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league.”
He further noted that his ability to outscore Oklahoma City, along with his offensive contributions, has also been impactful, adding:
“My second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season. We dominated them three times with their real team and four times with their rotation players. My third argument would be that offense impact is not just points.”
Despite the Spurs’ success over the Thunder, NBA reporter Skip Bayless explained why Gilgeous-Alexander still holds the top spot in the MVP race, with consistency playing a major role. While Gilgeous-Alexander maintains that level consistently, it can sometimes be puzzling to see Wembanyama not deliver at the same level, even though he has shown he can do so, particularly in four of the five games against the Thunder.
“When he [Wembanyama] decides before a game, as he did in four of the five Thunder games, when he decides he is going to play tonight, he plays his a** off. But there are many games along the trail where I don’t know what he is doing…”
Bayless added, “SGA plays every dribble of every night. It’s not like Russell Westbrook hard, it’s not shocking to your eye, but he’s playing at the same speed every dribble every night. So to me, he is still it, his team is still it.”
Nick Wright also echoed those sentiments, believing that Wembanyama cannot take center stage unless he consistently wins.
Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.8 points per game, behind just Luka Dončić, who is often in the MVP conversation among other elite scorers. The Spurs will face the Memphis Grizzlies next, and both San Antonio and Oklahoma City currently sit atop the Western Conference standings.
