A Freak of Nature 👽
He’ll be a more dynamic scorer and still a two-way threat to challenge for DPOY…
You can easily argue that Nikola Jokic should have won four straight NBA MVP awards instead of taking 3-of-4 since 2021 with a Finals MVP in his “off” year.
But this should only fuel the NBA rumors that voter fatigue is real, and voters may be desperate to anoint someone else as MVP in the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season. Jokic (+375 at BetUS odds) is right on the heels of Luka Doncic (+365) as the favorites in the current NBA MVP odds, but we might be sleeping on Victor Wembanyama with the Spurs.
#NBA | Wemby for MVP? He’s currently +1800 🏆
After one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history, there’s no doubt he’s a generational talent.
With CP3 and Barnes joining the #Spurs, those CP3-Wemby lobs will be INSANE! 🏀🔥#Wembanyama #NBAMVP pic.twitter.com/kCqk3eom8S
— BetUS NBA (@BetUS_NBA) September 19, 2024
Wembanyama currently has +1800 odds at BetUS to win the MVP in his second season, but after one of the best rookie seasons ever, he might be ready to take that leap in Year 2.
Where Is Wembanyama From Originally?
Wembanyama is still a relatively new basketball phenom, but outside of Caitlin Clark in the WNBA, he is the most hyped prospect since LeBron James in 2003. Wembanyama is from France where he became the youngest player to win the LNB Pro A MVP, which is the MVP award in the top level of men’s basketball in France.
Wemby looked every bit of 7’4″ on this play against Boston 🤯 pic.twitter.com/sTkujr0t3a
— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2024
The No. 1 pick by the Spurs in 2023, fans quickly went from asking “How tall is Wemby” to wondering when the 7’4” center would be competing for championships.
In his rookie season, Victor Wembanyama’s stats were averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and he led the league with 3.6 blocks per game. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (twice) is the only other player in NBA history to average those four marks for an entire season. Wembanyama received 99 first-place votes for Rookie of the Year in a blowout win.
Wemby also made NBA news when he was the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year, an impressive feat for a rookie. He tried his best to lead France to the gold medal game at the Paris Olympics too but had to settle for silver.
my god Wemby pic.twitter.com/D4UwJKwuoQ
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 5, 2024
Wemby’s Time?
The old guard of the NBA, led by LeBron James, is running out of time. Jokic’s prime can’t last forever, so Wemby is a logical choice for being in that future elite class to carry the league for years to come.
But he does have a lot of work to do as the Spurs were 22-60 last year (19-52 when he played). They still have Gregg Popovich, one of the best coaches to ever do it. They added a Hall of Fame point guard in Chris Paul, who should do wonders in setting up easy buckets for Wemby. They also added Harrison Barnes, a reliable 3-point shooter from Sacramento. Devin Vassell is still only 24 and can improve too.
If Steph Curry was 7’5″ pic.twitter.com/fFgLoO6SdM
— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) April 13, 2024
But the improved roster still aligns well for Wemby to be the star and take most of the credit. Over his last 24 games, he averaged 23.7 points, 11.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 4.6 blocks – absurd numbers. If he can get his 3-point shooting closer to 37% than 32.5%, then he’ll be a more dynamic scorer and still a two-way threat to challenge for Defensive Player of the Year.
However, the last 40 years prove you have to win at least 46 NBA games (usually 50-plus) to earn MVP honors, and that will be the toughest test for Wemby and the Spurs. But the generational talent is there.
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