Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs’ standout player, clinched the 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year award, making history as the first Frenchman to achieve this feat.
Standing tall at 7-foot-4 (2.24m), the 20-year-old center, who was the top pick in the previous year’s NBA Draft, showcased remarkable stats in his debut season, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, a league-leading 3.6 blocked shots, and 1.2 steals per game.
Wembanyama secured a unanimous selection, receiving all 99 first-place votes, a distinction last achieved by Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016.
“My goals were always to have my team as best as I could and to get better as the year went on,” Wembanyama told US NBA telecaster TNT.
“I knew that to do this I had to be individually good on the court and dominant so it was a huge thing for me, a big thing to get.
“It has always been really important and I’m glad it’s finally official.”
Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets followed him in the voting. Guided by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, Wembanyama joins the esteemed company of David Robinson (1990) and Tim Duncan (1998) as the third San Antonio player to claim this prestigious award.
“Wemby” matched Manute Bol from 1986 as the only rookie to lead the NBA in blocks for a season and said he improved all aspects of his game as the season went along, topping rookies in points, rebounds and blocks.
“Everything pretty much got better,” he said. “What I made big efforts on is the playmaking, shot selection and also after the minutes restrictions I had I had to get back into good shape to play more than 30-35 minutes. The cardio, I think, I’ve made huge improvements on.
“I’ve never gotten so much better in so few months, so really glad.”
Wembanyama also made it clear his work has not stopped in the off-season.
“There’s plenty of stuff I plan to be working on,” he said. “Physically the work is never going to be done. I’ve had my plan for months already for all of my body and we’re going to keep discovering new ways to get better and to work on my body.
“For basketball, there’s a lot I want to work on and a lot Pop wants me to work on, so I’m excited. A big thing I can tell you already is my balance and the use of my strength, learning to know my body better in the space.”
Despite the San Antonio Spurs’ challenging season, finishing with a 22-60 record, the emergence of “Wemby” as an NBA sensation brought excitement to fans. Living up to the hype as a once-in-a-generation talent, Wembanyama’s remarkable performances dazzled audiences.
In January, he secured his first NBA triple-double during a victory against Detroit. His second triple-double came in February, highlighted by 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 blocked shots in a win over Toronto. Notably, he achieved the first 20-point, 10-block triple-double in less than 30 minutes of play. In March, “Wemby” reached a career-high 40 points with 20 rebounds in a standout performance against New York.
Additionally, Wembanyama emerged as a finalist for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. His next milestone could be representing France in the Paris Olympics, where he is expected to showcase his talents on the global stage.
Coming from a family with a rich sporting background, including basketball legends like Tony Parker, Wembanyama’s journey from a goalkeeper to a basketball prodigy adds to his fascinating story.
“For an athlete, the culture, everything is made for us to thrive,” Wembanyama said of US life. “I’m really in a bubble. I know I’m living a very privileged life as an NBA player. There’s a lot of people taking care of me every day even when I don’t notice it. This award is also on them a little bit.”
