“It’s a great achievement. It’s the first of many.” Wemby on Winning Defensive Player of the Year
Victor Wembanyama reacts to being named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, reflecting on the hard work, growth, and mindset behind the honor. Hear Wemby’s thoughts on anchoring the San Antonio Spurs’ defense and what this achievement means moving forward.
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19 Comments
Future GOAT🎉
this chet shit is hilarious
I need the Frenchh!
we are so lucky to have players that are so respectful to each other. definetely not taking it for granted. GO SPURS GO!
WEMBY IS THE ONLY REASON I WATCH THE NBA
This kid is gonna go
Down as the greatest basketball player ever.. and he has our city on his chest , let that sink in
we as Spurs Fans are blessed 🥹
1/10 for him
He was unanimous for Roy too. Who saying he can’t be unanimous MVP.
Shoutout KJ man. What a guy. I dont know if were that successful this year without his voice, leadership, and transfer of roles throughout the years. So glad we didnt trade him. That hug mid interview was amazing. Blessed to be a spurs fan. GSG!
"And I took that personally" 🗣🗣 6:19
Blazers in 6
In my mind, the opposing coach never said that. His coach thought he was loafing and just wanted him to pick it up a bit. Accidentally altered the course of basketball history
French translation s'il te plaît 🙏🏽
Congrats Wemby! Plenty of more awards coming in your career. Good luck the rest of the way and stay healthy.
Thunder Fan.
Comparing Chet to Wemby in 2026 is hilarious. Chet's good but come on. Wemby level is extraterrestrial.
The French section:
Media: First, congratulation! Do you agree when some says that we lack stats to evaluate your whole defensive impact? And do you know any stats that we don't usual look at or you think we should add ?
Wemby: I do believe we have way more data for offense than defense. One that could be missing is the eye test.
Media: How would you mesure that?
Wemby: It's difficult… With the current AI or sotfware, it still hard or impossible to convey this into stats.
Media: What does winning the DPOY means to you? And what do you thing about Rudy Gobert not being in the TOP3 nominees.
Wemby: What does it means for me… It's just huge. The biggest reward is being unanimous and the youngest all time. It is what I will remember. And about Rudy, for the year, I don't know. Was he forth? But yeah, Rudy is someone often forgotten or underrated in some advanced stats.
Media: Your overall defense is solid but we often focus on your blocks. Do you keep on working on the blocks and how ?
Wemby: Of course i do. If i listen to the defense coach, he'll say I'm doing everything wrong. No, I'm joking! But there is always something to improve and what's interesting is that I can be way better. It helps to keep my stats consistent. Obviously, I'll try to increase my numbers, but the fact that I have room for improvement, it will help me to have a base level because opponents are giving me fewer and fewer opportunities to make defensive stats.
Media: And how do you work on the blocks?
Wemby: In the regular season, it's a tone of video analysis then put that into practice on the floor. And in the offseason, by playing. There's no better exercice than just playing or physical development.
Media: To ends with the blocks, when did you realise it could be a weapon for transition / counter attacking . It's something from you that makes an impression.
Wemby: It started when I was in Levallois, I don't remember doing that when I was younger. But when i was with the Mets92, I made sure to keep the ball inbound.
He took something that happened when he was 14 personal jeezus Christ the league is doomed
French part : Journalist: [08:28] Victor, we have already had the opportunity to ask you questions about statistics or metrics to evaluate your overall, your own defensive impact. Are there certain ones that you use that we don't necessarily talk to you about or that we don't necessarily think about?
Victor: [08:46] I think we maybe have too much offensive data, and maybe not enough defensive data, actually. But one of the best pieces of data and the one that lies the least, is the eye test. It's hard, it's hard or even impossible to evaluate by classic AI and classic software. It's hard or impossible to evaluate.
Journalist: [09:12] Joining guys like Rudy Gobert, what does it mean to you to be unanimously elected alongside these guys?
Victor: [09:32] His presence for me is just huge. But the real trophy for me is having been elected unanimously, and being the youngest of all time. That's what I will remember and what is dearest to my heart. And for Rudy, for this year, I know he was fourth, right? But indeed, Rudy is someone who has often been ignored or underestimated, notably through certain advanced metrics.
Journalist: [10:09] Do you still continue to work on your defense in practice?
Victor: [10:14] Of course. Anyway, if I listen to the defensive coaches, I don't do anything right! No, I'm joking. But there are always a lot of things to improve. That's what is most exciting, is that I can be much better on defense. And that will allow me to keep my stats at least constant. Obviously I will try to improve even my numbers in blocks, etc. But the fact of having such a big margin of progression will allow me to keep my stats constant because opponents leave me fewer and fewer opportunities to get defensive stats.
Journalist: [10:47] How do you work on it? Mostly video, physical development, or on the court?
Victor: [10:48] During the season, it's a lot of video analysis, and you just have to apply it on the court, quite simply. And during the off-season, sorry, it's by playing. Honestly, there is no better practice than playing, or physical development. Defense is really just reaction compared to the offense, so drills… you can do a lot of them, transition drills, but playing is really what makes the most sense.
Journalist: [11:11] When did you start actually liking to defend?
Victor: [11:15] I think it started in Levallois. I have no memories when I was young of really doing that. But with the Mets, I have a lot of memories of keeping the ball inbounds [when blocking shots]. I was already being asked the question back then.