A 2.24-meter basketball giant shielding the sky with one hand, receiving a prestigious honor in the NBA.

This promises to be the face of the NBA in the near future.

Superstar Victor Wembanyama officially honored as the Defensive Player of the Year. NBA. (DPOY) for the 2025-2026 season, marking a historic milestone by becoming the first to win the award with unanimous votes from the experts.

At 22 years old, the 2.24-meter center is not only the youngest recipient of this honor but also the first Spurs player since Kawhi Leonard (2015-2016) to achieve this distinction. This achievement becomes even more impressive as Wembanyama received all 100 first-place votes, far surpassing competitors like Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson.

This season's DPOY award is seen as a deserved reward for Wembanyama's outstanding contributions. The "alien" led the entire NBA in blocks with 197, while also contributing 66 steals. Moreover, the French center ranked 4th overall in average rebounds (11.5 per game) and 2nd in defensive rebounds, trailing only Nikola Jokic.

Notably, this marks Wembanyama's powerful comeback after an injury-plagued rookie season that prevented him from being eligible for awards. due to injury.. At that time, he missed out on the award and watched his compatriot Rudy Gobert claim the title. However, Wemby himself confidently declared that Gobert's era of dominance would soon end—and now he has realized that.

"I am just a part of the system. This success comes from the support of my teammates and coaching staff.", humbly stated the 2.24-meter basketball giant. However, many experts believe his influence far exceeds that of an ordinary individual, as Wembanyama's defensive ability can completely alter the tactical operations of both teams on the court.

Besides the DPOY award, the center born in 2004 is also included in the shortlist for the MVP award alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jokic, and is almost certain to be part of the All-NBA team for the season.