NBA legend provides crucial perspective to Wembanyama MVP debate

At this point, everyone can't help but chime in on the red-hot MVP debate. It seems like not too long ago, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was running away with the award, but Victor Wembanyama's push over the past two months has changed that. This could very well be a neck-and-neck race until the end.

NBA legend Paul Pierce presented a unique perspective on Wemby's MVP case on the No Fouls Given podcast with Danny Green.

"I didn’t see San Antonio being a second seed. I had them probably being a play-in team in the west," Pierce asserts. "Like, so their room from floor to the ceiling was a lot steeper than OKC was. So, I think you got to put that into play."

The weight of the Spurs' preseason expectations is important

Pierce makes an exceptional point. Of course, all of us knew that Victor Wembanyama was on the path towards superstardom, but there's a level of shock with how quickly he's getting there. Only a few pundits saw him leading the Spurs to the level of success they've reached this season as a legitimate contender in the Western Conference.

Contrast that with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder, where they entered the season as the defending champions. Now, this shouldn't be used against SGA's case for the MVP award. Playing well on a team that was fully expected to play well is not a penalty.

But it does amplify the significance of what Victor's doing with his group. They've been able to overcome preseason expectations and the ceiling that many analysts and critics placed on them. It reminds me a bit of Stephen Curry's 2015 MVP campaign.

We all knew Curry was elite, as he was an All-Star prior, but what he did with the Warriors during that first MVP season of his subverted the expectations of many, leading him to the majority of the votes. Obviously there are differences between 2026 Wemby and 2015 Curry, but they are very much like each other in this sort of way.

Wemby's overall impact on winning

Paul Pierce also emphasizes Victor's impact on winning, which has been a hot topic as of late. He states, "His impact on winning as compared to the other guys, I mean, it’s tough to deny."

When we talk about that, I think it's important not to limit Wemby's impact just to his defense. Yes, obviously, he is dominant on that end, but the raw numbers don't totally reflect the two-way impact he provides for the Spurs' offense.

Victor's gravity creates endless scoring opportunities for his teammates. The pressure he puts on interior defenses opens up the offense for San Antonio. Additionally, as a 7'4 floor spacer, he can pull defenders away from the basket, allowing guards like Castle and Harper to find lanes to the rim.

A true MVP race to the finish

Wemby's 24.2 PPG is not as impressive as Shai's 31.5 PPG, obviously. But when you take everything into account and look at the aggregate two-way impact that Victor instills on the court, it makes his MVP case even more compelling compared to the Thunder guard. There is nobody else who is affecting the game both ways quite like Wemby.

I said it earlier; this MVP race is going to be neck and neck all the way until the end. Sorting things out between SGA and Wembanyama is going to be a daunting task for voters, as both of them are having otherworldly seasons.

But regardless, it is amazing to know that, in just his third season, Victor is finding himself in such a conversation. His path to true superstardom is much shorter than we thought.