Victor Wembanyama stands at the edge of the league’s permissible limits of missed games to be considered for the postseason awards and All-NBA team selections. After finding himself in early-season award discussions, he has missed 14 games so far, and the league allows a player to miss 17 games before rendering them ineligible.
In a recent conversation with Jeff McDonald, a staff writer with the San Antonio Express-News, Wembanyama and several members of the Spurs’ franchise spoke about whether the 65-game rule is a consideration when deciding to play the French wonderkid.
“I pay attention,” Wembanyama said. “But (the medical staff) tries to let it be as small a factor as possible because, as health professionals, it’s not something you’re supposed to do.”
The Spurs are currently 27-12 in the 39 games they have played so far, presently making them the second seed in the Western Conference. Therefore, several factors go into deciding whether Wembanyama is needed on the floor or if he is better off resting on the bench and recovering from his calf strain.
The 22-year-old Spurs star is currently averaging 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 51.6% from the field. But what is noteworthy is that he is also averaging 2.8 blocks per game, making him a key player in the race for the Defensive Player of the Year.
Wembanyama has reportedly been lobbying for an early return from injury and is no longer mentioned on the Spurs’ injury report after breaking into the starting lineup once again.
But, he ensured to emphasize that the focus of the Spurs’ medical staff is not necessarily on keeping him eligible for a postseason award, but it is something that Wembanyama keeps them in the loop about.
“There are a lot of variables that come into play, that’s one of them,” clarified the Spurs’ head coach, Mitch Johnson. The goal for Wembanyam is to consistently be in the starting lineup for the rest of the season.
If Wembanyama misses four more games throughout the season, he will miss out on consideration for postseason awards, along with several other noteworthy players like Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who are at risk of missing out on the race.
Former NBA Player Criticizes Victor Wembanyama
The NBA world’s eyes have been on Victor Wembanyama for months before he was even drafted in 2023. But this season, he is beginning to meet and exceed expectations, which is putting him in the thick of all the controversies in the NBA.
From forcing a rivalry to putting him in postseason award discussions, Wembanyama is stepping into the shoes of what it could be like for him for the rest of his career, facing the pressures of being the face of the league. But the Spurs star’s character development over the years has rubbed some people the wrong way.
Former NBA player Jason Williams recently spoke about Victor Wembanyama on his podcast ‘Hoopin and Hollerin,’ addressing how he’s not pleased about Wembanyama’s trash talk with the OKC Thunder star Chet Holmgren and his belief that the French star is not really a shot blocker.
“Didn’t Wemby say he and Chet are not on the same level? I’m not all the way with that,” said Williams with disapproval.
“He’s great, don’t get me wrong, he’s good as sh**. But Chet Holmgren is good as sh** too,” added Williams after rubbishing Wembanyama’s achievements in the league so far.
“Neither one of them is a real shot blocker. If they weren’t seven f**king feet, you know what I mean?” the former Mavericks player added.
He compared them to former NBA player Alonzo Mourning and said they use their wingspan to their advantage instead of their reflexes, and do not put themselves in considerable defensive positions like a conventional shot blocker.
Williams even went on to pick Anthony Edwards and Cade Cunningham as better No. 1 overall picks to build a franchise around than Wembanyma. Clearly, Williams has his issues with the Spurs star.
But considering that Wembanyama’s eligibility for Defensive Player of the Year is in question, he certainly deserves recognition. He has single-handedly created a fear among players to take shots wherever he is guarding them on the floor.
It will be interesting to see how the French star navigates this situation and potentially uses it as a fuel for his postseason if he misses out on the award.
