Early DPOY odds set tremendous expectations for Victor Wembanyama

The bar was sky-high for Victor Wembanyama last season and vaulted over it with the grace of an Olympic gold medalist. Everyone knew his defense would translate to the NBA, but not to that degree. He was a monster on that end, unlike anything we had ever seen. It wasn't just that he blocked shots; it was how he blocked shots. San Antonio Spurs games became comedy shows based on the comic book-style rejections Wemby would pull off.

When he lost the Defensive Player of the Year award to Rudy Gobert, it felt like Victor lost based on factors outside of his control because it's hard to argue with the fact that the 7'4" titan ended the season with almost 100 more blocks and 36 more steals than the person who took the trophy home. Thankfully, the tide has already shifted as FanDuel's odds for next season's DPOY are out with Wembanyama lapping the competition.

Wembanyama is expected to build on his defense and that's scary

Victor averaged 3.6 blocks last season, but over his final 20 games, the unanimous Rookie of the Year averaged 4.4 blocks per game. One of the aspects that some seem to forget is how limited he was. He injured his ankle in December and had his minutes restricted for over a month. Even without the injury issue, he generally stayed below 30 minutes a game for the entire season.

Fans should expect his minutes to increase in his sophomore campaign. The timing will be perfect with the addition of Chris Paul because a good offense gives your defense a chance to set up and when Wembanyama played with a real point guard—Tre Jones—he played better. Increasing his minutes without adding another real floor general would have meant the possibility of more time without that. That is no longer a concern.

The last player to average four blocks per game for the whole season was Dikembe Mutombo (4.49) in 1995–1996, meaning Wemby has a chance to pull off something not seen in almost 30 years. His 10.9 rebounds per game must also be acknowledged because grabbing a rebound ends the defensive possession, and he did that with a thin frame. He already looks stronger; his timing will improve, and that number will increase.

It is reasonable to believe that Vic is capable of posting 4 blocks and 2 steals a game for the entirety of a season. Those numbers would put him in more rarified air—a place he'll reside for the majority of his career.