Wembanyama's MVP case is built jarringly different from other contenders

Victor Wembanyama is building a very real case for his first MVP award in just his third season. However, despite his terrific campaign, he still has his fair share of critics believing he's undeserving, and the reason why is frustrating, to say the least.

Those who ignore Victor Wembanyama's MVP candidacy are overlooking one important fact: his defensive load. People love to look at the scoring numbers to determine the MVP, forgetting everything else. Not only is Vic the best defender in the world, but he is also tasked with shouldering the weight of the entire Spurs defense.

Defensive Player of the Year exists to reward guys making the strongest contributions on that side of the court, but Wemby's impact goes beyond just a normal defender. MVP is the only way to truly pay him the respect his influence deserves.

Victor Wembanyama carries the Spurs defense

With full respect to standout defenders such as Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle, the Spurs' defense boils down to Victor Wembanyama. With the Alien on the court, the defense completely changes. Suddenly, everyone on the opposing team is afraid to attack the rim and has to completely alter their offensive game plan.

With that comes a boatload of responsibility. Of course, he is 7'4", but his job is not easy. Wemby is in charge of manning the entire painted area and keeping an eye on every player on the court so he can communicate to his teammates what they should be doing. His court awareness is what makes him so great. Conversely, perimeter guards and forwards don't have the same obligation.

This is quite the burden on the big man. Every second he is on the court, he must stay ready and alert for whatever is being thrown at him. All the while, he is averaging 24 points per game, leading the team on offense. His all-around efforts cannot be dismissed.

Victor Wembanyama has earned his top 3 MVP spot

Wemby is combining Defensive Player of the Year defense with All-Star numbers on offense. No player in the MVP running even comes close to Wemby defensively, and none of them are tasked with the assignments he has. Wemby is leading two separate units and doing so efficiently.

When you talk about the most valuable player, it's impossible to ignore Victor Wembanyama. While most stars are mostly only impacting the offense, Vic has his presence felt on both sides. Without him, the Spurs have had success, but they are still only a fraction of the juggernaut they are with him.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 20-ball streak is impressive, and Nikola Jokic is still a man amongst boys, but neither of them has anywhere near the responsibilities on defense as the Alien. They are allowed to use all of their energy on offense, which equates to inflated scoring numbers. Victor, meanwhile, has been dropping 30 points per game recently while still giving his all on defense.

Victor may not get the MVP trophy this year, but I hope you recognize what he is doing right now. It is otherworldly stuff. When the voting returns, I'd better see the Frenchman's name high on the ballot.