The San Antonio Spurs’ franchise player, Victor Wembanyama, was on the verge of history last season before blood clots in his shoulder derailed his momentum. The 7’4″ phenom emerged as the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year before his campaign was cut short, but he did make the All-Star Team in his second season.
Now, as the 2025-26 season approaches, the 21-year-old superstar is not only expected to reclaim his place in the DPOY conversation but also position himself for even greater accolades. No doubt, Wembanyama’s ceiling feels limitless considering his work ethic, and his impact could stretch well beyond individual hardware in his third season.
With that in mind, we’ve outlined five key goals for Wembanyama this season that, if achieved, could solidify his place among the league’s most dominant forces and accelerate the Spurs’ path back to contention.
Win Defensive Player Of The Year
Victor Wembanyama has wasted little time establishing himself as the most dominant defensive presence in basketball. In just two seasons, he’s finished runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year and was the frontrunner last season before his health setback ended the campaign. Already leading the NBA in blocks per game in consecutive years, including an eye-popping 3.8 rejections last season, he has proven that his defensive ceiling is unmatched. Simply put, this award feels like his to lose in 2025-26.
Wemby can swallow up drives in the paint, recover on switches against guards, and even force turnovers on the perimeter with his absurd length. No other defender in the league forces opposing teams to alter their game plans, and this impact will improve as Wemby continues gaining experience and confidence.
Winning Defensive Player of the Year in his third season would cement his place in history. Few players have captured the award this early in their careers, and Wembanyama has both the production and narrative working in his favor. If he stays healthy and maintains his dominance, the voters will have little choice but to hand him his first major individual trophy.
Start Earning Serious MVP Consideration
While Defensive Player of the Year is the immediate goal, Wembanyama has the skill set and impact to eventually enter the MVP conversation. A top-10 finish in voting would mark the first step toward what many believe is his ultimate destiny: becoming the best player in the league.
Of course, dethroning established superstars like Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo is a tall task in the MVP race. These names dominate the conversation, and we don’t think Wemby will usurp them to win the Most Valuable Player award. But he has to start making noise, and his unique two-way dominance is unlike anything the league has seen since prime Kevin Garnett.
The MVP buzz doesn’t have to translate into an actual award just yet. What matters most for Wembanyama this season is building a resume of elite production, highlight-reel moments, and team impact that forces voters to take notice. That will do well for the player’s confidence and the fear factor the Spurs will start generating in the Western Conference.
Lead The Spurs Into The Playoffs
For the Spurs, 2025-26 has to be about more than growth. They need to play in meaningful games again. With Wembanyama as the centerpiece and a supporting cast that now includes rookie talent Dylan Harper alongside De’Aaron Fox, Devin Vassell, and Stephon Castle, San Antonio has enough firepower to end its playoff drought.
The responsibility, however, falls squarely on Wembanyama’s shoulders to elevate the group to postseason contention. It won’t be easy for the third-year player to achieve this, but we believe he has the skill and talent to lead by example while also improving his vocal leadership.
If Wembanyama delivers on that front, it will mark a turning point in San Antonio’s rebuild. A playoff berth would not only validate the Spurs’ development path but also signal to the rest of the league that their generational talent is already capable of carrying a franchise.
Stay Healthy To Play At Least 70 Games
The only real obstacle that has slowed Wembanyama’s growth has been his availability. He played 71 games as a rookie, a promising sign that silenced early durability concerns, but last season’s blood clot issue limited him to just 44 appearances. For him to dominate award conversations and lead the Spurs into the postseason, staying on the floor for at least 70 games is non-negotiable.
Unsurprisingly, the Spurs’ medical staff has been cautious with his development from the start. The key will be finding the balance between unleashing his full potential and managing his body over the grind of the season. Conditioning, recovery, and minimizing risk in back-to-back scenarios will all be crucial in keeping him healthy.
A full, uninterrupted season would silence skeptics who worry about long-term durability. If Wembanyama can log 70-plus games, it will not only boost his award chances but also give the Spurs the continuity they need to grow into a playoff-caliber team.
Improve Three-Point Clip To At Least 38%
Finally, the next step in Wembanyama’s offensive evolution is becoming a reliable outside shooter. He has shown steady progress, improving from 32.5% as a rookie to 35.2% in his second season. With nearly nine attempts per game last year (8.8 3PA), his volume suggests confidence, but efficiency needs to catch up.
A leap to 38% would transform his offensive impact and force defenses to respect him beyond the arc. Spacing is everything in today’s NBA, and a 7’4″ shooter knocking down threes at an elite rate would completely change the Spurs’ offense. Opponents already struggle to contain him in the paint, and if they’re forced to extend coverage to the perimeter, the Spurs’ offense could open up in ways few teams can replicate.
It would also unlock more opportunities for Fox, Harper, and Vassell to attack driving lanes with Wembanyama stretching defenses thin. If the Frenchman can pair elite rim protection with elite shooting, Wembanyama could be rewriting the definition of what a modern NBA superstar looks like in real time.
