Former DPOY Joakim Noah breaks down Victor Wembanyama's top defensive attribute
11/18/2024 03:56 PM
Victor Wembanyama has already emerged as arguably the NBA’s top defender less than a month into his second NBA season. The San Antonio Spurs big man leads the NBA in blocks at 3.7 per game to go with 1.3 steals per game. He’s posted 48 total blocks, 18 ahead of the next closest players, Brook Lopez and Donovan Clingan.
At 7-foot-3 with an eight-foot wingspan, Wembanyama was known for his incredible measurables and fluidity entering the league. However, fellow Frenchman and former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah pointed to another attribute when describing the 20-year-old’s impact.
“I think his best skill is his intelligence,” Noah told Tommy Alter on The Young Man and the Three. “You can't take away the fact that he's 7-foor-4, he can jump to the sky, he can jump to the moon. He's a hell of a player. His mobility, you can't teach those things. Then you add in his IQ, him going to sleep early, reading books, all those things that we learn about him. I was blessed to meet his family. Big shout out to his mom and his pops as well for raising just like a good human, he's solid all around. I think defensively, obviously, when you think you have an open three and Wemby is around, you might think you're open when you're not open.”
Wembanyama’s defensive impact will be at the center of the Spurs’ identity for the foreseeable future.
Victor Wembanyama separating himself as NBA’s premier defender with Spurs
The French phenom has carried a Spurs defense that ranks 12th in the NBA this season. He is an overwhelming favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year after losing the award to Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, another French star, during his rookie campaign.
Wembanyama is a -170 favorite to win the award, per FanDuel Sportsbook. The next closest player is Evan Mobley at +1000. Dyson Daniels is listed at +1200 amid a surprise start to the season, while Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis sit at +1500.
Wembanyama would be the third French player to win the award. Gobert is a four-time winner, three with the Utah Jazz (2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21) and one with the Timberwolves (2023-24), while Noah took home the honor with the Chicago Bulls (2013-14).
The Spurs felt Wembanayama’s absence during a 110-93 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday. He missed the game due to a right knee contusion and is listed as doubtful for Tuesday’s NBA Cup game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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