Victor Wembanyama's late MVP surge has been one of the best storylines in the NBA this season. It's been a while since we saw a player impact the game on both ends of the floor quite like this. His offensive production has been nothing short of elite, and his defensive mastery is putting the basketball world in utter shock.
The 22-year-old is having one of the more impressive campaigns in a bit of a while, but what makes it even more interesting are the hoops he's had to jump through. Let's not forget, Victor was not expected to make the 65-game minimum earlier in the season due to injuries.
Victor Wembanyama has been defying odds
There were a lot of reasons to be worried about Wemby's longevity this season. Through the pre-All-Star break stretch, he missed a healthy chunk of games due to a low calf strain and just weeks later, a hyperextended left knee.
Early career injuries like these will always be red flags, particularly for big men. We've seen countless talented centers have entire seasons derailed due to things like this, but that is not the case for Victor. After missing his stretch of games to recover, he's been consistently on the court since.
Not only has he been able to show up frequently after rehabbing, but he's been producing at an even higher level. Since the All-Star break, Victor has arguably been the best player in the entire league with his impact on both ends of the floor.
To put it simply, he bounced back in a way that only a few others can. Recovering from early-season injuries as a center quite like this is not the norm, and it's exactly what sets him apart.
Wemby still produced on a minutes restriction
Another thing to take note of with Wemby's second-half MVP run is the fact that he's seen a pretty noticeable cut in minutes. For the season, he is averaging 29.3 minutes per game, down from the 33 minutes per game logged in his sophomore year.
Now, let's compare that with other MVP candidates. SGA is clocking around 33.5 minutes per game on the year, and Luka Doncic is sitting at an astronomical 36 per night. Nikola Jokic is sitting at 34.6 minutes per game, and Jaylen Brown is close to that with 34.6.
Let me sum this up for you. Victor is making a two-way impact unmatched by his contemporaries while spending less time on the court. It's quite the phenomenon. He's affecting the game in a way that no one else can without being overused. The man has a shot at being the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year while playing fewer minutes than other stars.
We are witnessing one of the best regular-season performances for a player under the age of 25 in the history of the league. Amidst all of the controversy around his minutes and games played, he's still making the strongest case for MVP consideration.
