NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs has officially been named an MVP award finalist for the 2025-26 season.
The news was announced on NBC’s coverage of the first round of the playoffs, and Wembanyama joined Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic as a finalist for the MVP award this season.
For the second half of the year, Wembanyama has consistently been mentioned as in the race for the MVP award, and while it appears he has low odds to actually take home the trophy, being announced as a finalist remains a higher honor.
Wembanyama and the Spurs are set to face off against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the NBA playoffs, with that game set to tip off on Sunday, April 19, at 9 pm EST and live on NBC.
NBA Announces Victor Wembanyama MVP Finalist
This NBA MVP race, like many in the past, has been contentious to say the least. Some believe Gilgeous-Alexander deserves the award for his scoring efficiency and team success. Some have Jokic atop their ballots for his mind-blowing stat stuffing that has only increased this year.
Others have Wembanyama as the rightful winner for the MVP award, as his impact on both sides of the floor, but specifically on defense, has been unmatched in NBA history. In 65 games this season, 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks on 51.2% shooting.
Those numbers are a bit down from his competitors, but still, he remains one of the most unique players in recent league memory, and his ability to both stretch the floor on offense and defend the entire court on defense is something that might be a first in the history of the sport.
According to the official NBA MVP ladder on the league’s website, written by Shaun Powell, Wembanyama is third in the latest rankings. He was first for a few weeks in a row, ahead of Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and even Luka Doncic, but he’s since fallen back a bit.
It remains to be seen whether Wembanyama will actually win the MVP award this season, as the 2025-26 campaign has been more of a coming-out party for the Frenchman rather than the type of season his other two competitors have had.
His impact is real and big, but in just his third NBA season, it might take a bit more than what Wembanyama did this season for the league to crown him as the youngest MVP in history. An impressive season nonetheless, but just based on the odds, his chances of winning the award look slim.
Victor Wembanyama Also Announced As Finalist For Defensive Player of the Year Award
Before it was announced that Wembanyama would be an MVP finalist, the NBA revealed that he is also one of three in contention for the Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
While his MVP odds remain relatively low compared to others in the race for that award, Wembanyama has been the favorite for the DPOY award for most of the season. He led the league in blocks for the third season in a row, as he continues to have an unparalleled impact on defense, whether it’s on the stat sheet or just the ‘eye test.’
“THREE STRAIGHT BLOCKS TITLES FOR WEMBY,” the NBA wrote in a post on X. “Dikembe Mutombo and Marcus Camby are the only others to do this since blocks became an official stat in 1973-74.”
Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson were the other finalists announced for the Defensive Player of the year award. However, Wembanyama’s odds of taking that trophy remain sky-high, and he will likely either win the award or be a top candidate for it in every single season of his career that he is healthy and qualifies based on the NBA’s 65-game rule.
Wembanyama’s impact on defense is unmatched, and while he might not win the MVP, taking home the DPOY trophy in just his third season isn’t a bad consolation prize.
Wembanyama has another chance to take home some hardware this season, as he and the Spurs begin their playoff push in hopes of ending the year with the Larry O’Brien and Finals MVP trophies.
That push starts with the Trail Blazers in the first round, as Game 1 tips off on Sunday, April 19, at 9 pm EST and live on NBC.
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