Ahead of the 2025-26 season, the expectations for Victor Wembanyama were high. Yet somehow, the Alien has broken every barrier there was. Fully establishing himself as one of the best in the league this season, the ceiling has been raised, and his timeline has been shattered. Now, he has legends in his sights.
With a Defensive Player of the Year award and a top-three MVP finish on the way, the Frenchman will join the San Antonio elite as he earns his first major award, with many more to come. There is no reason that Victor can't end his career as one of the ten best players we have ever seen. Everything that he has done this season has solidified that belief.
Victor Wembanyama skyrocketed himself into superstar status
As many doubted the youngster because of injury concerns or a lack of control on offense, Wembanyama shut all of that down this season. Driven by winning and accomplishing his goals, Victor launched out of a cannon and elevated himself to superstar status.
Before the season, if you said Victor Wembanyama was a top-five player in the NBA, you might have been met by a raised eyebrow. While he had all the talent to become that, he wasn't quite on par. Well, those conversations have long passed us. Now, you will look foolish if you don't have the alien among the truly elite in the association.
Wemby remained dominant on defense and upgraded on offense
To the surprise of nobody, Victor Wembanyama is set to win his first of many Defensive Player of the Year awards. With complete control of the paint, the big man can dictate an entire offense and change the way the game is played. Every defensive stat can back this up.
While Wemby confirmed everything we already knew about him defensively, he took a major leap on offense. His .7 increase in points per game doesn't tell the whole story. This season, Victor cleared the air about his confusing shot diet. When he was previously erratic on offense, he is now much calmer, cooler, and more collected playing in the flow of the offense.
This is evident in his increase in shot efficiency. Victor's field goal percentage jumped from 47.6% to 51.2%. The superstar was smarter with his shots, taking only the best look. When he didn't like what was ahead of him, he dealt the ball off to his teammates.
Wembanyama's understanding of the game has been pivotal
Victor also leaned further back into his offensive game as a big man. Instead of aimlessly chucking three pointers, the dynamic interior threat used his height and agility to his advantage. He now has the perfect blend of deep shots and interior force.
Now, Head Coach Mitch Johnson can feel much more comfortable with Victor leading the offense. The youngster knows exactly what to do, and when his name is called upon, he can deliver massive scoring outbursts. Look no further than his end-of-season push for MVP when he dropped multiple 40 bombs within the span of a couple of weeks.
It has become obvious that we are witnessing greatness in the making. Victor's 2025-26 season made that very clear. There is no more doubting this kid; all we can do is sit back and enjoy the show. At just 22 years old, the Frenchman will have led a team to 60 wins and been in the running for MVP. It's truly remarkable. Bravo Wembanyama.
