The 2024-25 NBA season is almost two weeks old and stars are emerging as frontrunners for individual accolades. While the MVP race has several candidates, the Defensive Player of the Year award is expected to boil down to a duel between Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. The two battled it out for the coveted prize last year and the latter came out on top.
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Many fans, analysts, and former players vouched for the rookie to win the award last season, but the Timberwolves center beat his compatriot to the prize and won it for the fourth time in his career. The Spurs star claimed it was the right decision but warned the veteran that it was the last time he’d get his hands on the prize. In an interview with Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News towards the tail-end of last season, he said,
“I know that Rudy (Gobert) has a very good chance of winning it this year, and it would be deserved. Let him win it now because after that it’s no longer his turn.”
And to his credit, he’s living up to his promise.
Victor Wembanyama is dominating the early sweepstakes
In his rookie year, the Spurs star averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.6 blocks per game in 71 games. He had the second-best defensive rating in the league with 105.8, trailing only Gobert, who had 104.4.
Seven games into the new season, Wembanyama has a defensive rating of 99, which ranks sixth in the league. Gobert’s rating of 110.1 ranks ninth among centers. The Spurs star was a menace as a rim protector last season and this year is no different.
He’s holding opponents to a 52% field goal conversion rate from five feet or under, which ranks joint-third alongside Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley among players who were the primary defenders on at least 125 shot attempts from that range. Thunder’s Cason Wallace (48.4%) and Chet Holmgren (49.3%) lead the Frenchman in that category.
However, the sophomore star isn’t only an elite rim protector but is also a stellar defender on all three levels. He’s holding opponents to a 29.7% conversion rate on shot attempts from five to nine feet from the basket, 45% from 10 to 14 feet, 19.4% from 15 to 19 feet, and 38.2% from 20-24 feet.
He’ll be disappointed that opponents are banking 40.2% of their three-point attempts against him, but that number will come down significantly as the season progresses. Among players who have been the primary defender on 400 shot attempts, Wembanyama’s 41.2 opponent-field goal percentage ranks third behind Thunder’s Jalen Williams (40%) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (40.3%).
However, the duo has the security blanket of playing alongside Wallace, Holmgren, and Alex Caruso. Wembanyama is putting up his number as the lynchpin of his team’s defense, making his feat more impressive. The Spurs star is the frontrunner to win the award by every metric, but there is another familiar contender.
Can Rudy Gobert or anyone else stop Wembanyama from winning DPOY?
Rudy Gobert may have had a rough start to the campaign but he always improves as the season progresses. Perhaps the Timberwolves, who are adjusting to life without Karl Anthony-Towns after his move to the Knicks, will find their identity and the Frenchman will reenter the race for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
However, so far, only Chet Holmgren has emerged as a viable contender to stop Wembanyama from winning the Defensive Player of the Year award. The Thunder star, who finished second behind the Spurs sensation in the Rookie of the Year race last season, has been exceptional on the defensive end this year.
His defensive rating of 86.2 is the best in the league and he ranks second in blocks with 22, trailing only Wembanyama (27). While having teammates with excellent defensive ability usually works in the favor of the player trying to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, the Thunder’s incredible numbers could hurt their center’s bid to win the coveted prize.
OKC has allowed the fewest points this season and employs the five players with the best defensive rating in the league. It could push voters to conclude that Holmgren’s numbers are inflated by his team’s excellent defensive scheme and his teammates’ abilities. That would give Wembanyama the edge in the race for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
It remains to be seen whether the Thunder’s defensive dominance helps or hurts their center’s quest to pip the Spurs sensation to the coveted prize and whether Gobert can emerge as a contender. For now, it’s all going swimmingly for Wembanyama.
