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Wemby's Unanimous DPOY: A Team Effort
21 Apr
Summary
- Wembanyama credits teammates and coaches for his unanimous DPOY award.
- The Spurs boast the third-best defensive rating this season.
- He feels most comfortable with his shot-blocking ability on defense.
Victor Wembanyama has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the NBA's first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year. He credits this achievement to the strong team culture fostered within the San Antonio Spurs organization over the past three seasons. Wembanyama emphasized that his success is not solely individual but a result of the collective effort and development under coaches like Mitch Johnson and Gregg Popovich.
The Spurs have demonstrated an impressive defensive performance throughout the 2025-26 season, ranking third in defensive rating. Their team defense allows only 111.5 points per game, placing them eighth in the league. Wembanyama's contributions are pivotal to these statistics, validating his individual award.
Reflecting on his accomplishment, Wembanyama stated, "I am part of the system, and I couldn't get this award if it wasn't for my teammates." He specifically acknowledged defensive coach Sean Sweeney and Coach Johnson for their roles. Wembanyama also noted that shot-blocking is an area he has consistently worked on and feels most confident about, contributing to his impressive averages of 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game.
