Victor Wembanyama makes NBA history as he is named Defensive Player of the Year

Victor Wembanyama has made NBA history by becoming the first player ever to be unanimously voted Defensive Player of the Year.

The San Antonio Spurs' prodigious centre, aged just 22, secured the prestigious award on Monday, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning career.

Standing at an imposing 7-foot-4 – or perhaps even taller – Wembanyama dominated the league, leading the NBA in blocked shots for a third consecutive season and consistently disrupting opposing offenses. His defensive prowess left little doubt among voters, with Spurs forward Keldon Johnson declaring him the "best player in the world."

The unanimous decision underscores the extraordinary nature of Wembanyama's achievement. In the 10 seasons since Stephen Curry became the unanimous MVP in 2016, there have been only two instances of a player securing 100% of first-place votes for an award: Wembanyama's own Rookie of the Year triumph in 2024, and now his DPOY win.

This remarkable feat means no player in at least the last 50 seasons – and potentially ever, given the historical data limitations – has won two major individual awards unanimously.

It marks only the 10th known unanimous pick across any of the major individual accolades, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, DPOY, or Coach of the Year.

Notably, even NBA titans such as LeBron James and Michael Jordan never achieved a unanimous major award victory.

Wembanyama's victory also makes him the youngest DPOY winner, as he will not turn 23 until next January, while all previous recipients were at least 23.

The Spurs now boast the most DPOY winners of any franchise, with Wembanyama joining Alvin Robertson (1986), David Robinson (1992), and Kawhi Leonard (2015, 2016). He also joins Robinson and Jordan as the only players to win both Rookie of the Year and DPOY.

"I’ve had the chance to have great coaches over my career who have taught me great habits on defense," Wembanyama commented. He added that the "real struggle might have been getting to 65 games”, referring to the eligibility requirement.

The Frenchman's impressive season is far from over in terms of accolades. He is also a finalist for the league's Most Valuable Player award, alongside Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver's Nikola Jokic, with the winner to be announced next week.

This DPOY win, coupled with his expected All-NBA first-team and All-Defensive team selections, guarantees Wembanyama no fewer than four trophies from this year's awards season. The NBA will continue its award announcements on Tuesday with the Clutch Player of the Year reveal.

Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren finished second in the DPOY voting, with Detroit's Ausar Thompson securing third place, both having played pivotal roles in their respective teams clinching top playoff seeds.

The votes were cast by a panel of reporters and broadcasters who cover the league, with ballots submitted last week before the playoffs commenced. Four-time DPOY winner Rudy Gobert of Minnesota placed fourth, followed by Toronto's Scottie Barnes, Boston's Derrick White, Oklahoma City's Cason Wallace, Houston's Amen Thompson, Atlanta's Dyson Daniels, and New York's OG Anunoby.

A three-way tie for 11th position saw Detroit’s Jalen Duren, Golden State’s Draymond Green – the 2017 winner – and Miami’s Bam Adebayo all receive votes.

Despite the individual recognition, Wembanyama maintained a focus on collective effort.

"We often overlook the team aspect," he stated. "I’m sitting here. I happen to be the guy who’s put in the spotlight, but I am part of a system and I couldn’t get this award and I couldn’t do what I do if it wasn’t for my teammates... and my coaching staff."

This historic unanimous win solidifies Wembanyama's status as a generational talent, with much more expected from his career.