San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year after becoming the first unanimous winner in the award’s history, receiving all 100 first-place votes from the media panel.
Wembanyama, 22, added another milestone to his fast-rising career, becoming the youngest player ever to claim the award. Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren finished second in the voting, while Detroit’s Ausar Thompson came in third.
The 7-foot-4 French standout anchored San Antonio’s defense throughout the regular season, leading the league in blocks at 3.1 per game for a third straight year and helping the Spurs finish with the NBA’s third-best defensive rating.
Wembanyama said he was proud of the historic recognition but stressed that the award reflected the collective effort of the Spurs organization. According to NBA coverage of his post-award interview, he credited his teammates and coaching staff for helping him reach the achievement.
The award came a day after Wembanyama impressed in his playoff debut, scoring 35 points with five rebounds and two blocks as the Spurs defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 111-98, to take Game 1 of their first-round series.
Wembanyama, selected first overall by San Antonio in the 2023 NBA Draft, is also among the leading contenders for this season’s Most Valuable Player award.