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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Victor Wembanyama is an MVP roadblock for younger stars

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 10/10/24

The hype surrounding Victor Wembanyama's addition to the NBA proved to be anything but hyperbole. The 7-foot-4 phenom sparkled on both sides of the floor, ending his debut season with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game on 46.5% field-goal shooting and 32.5% from the perimeter.

Assuming he continues to improve in the coming years, Wembanyama is on course to become the best player in the world before the end of the decade. He has a generational upside as a rim protector and could become a reliable 37%-40% threat on the perimeter. If he can continue to develop his handle and learn how to manipulate teams with his off-ball movement, he will become nearly unstoppable.

With that in mind, Sirius XM NBA Radio's Justin Termine believes the clock is ticking for some of the league's younger stars to win an MVP award. Termine's comments alluded to the notion that Wembanyama will be a perennial MVP candidate for most of his career.

"The good thing for (Nikola) Jokic is that he got his three," Termine said. "...It's important for Luka (Doncic) to get his this season...If he doesn't win it this year, or for that matter, if Shai-Gilgeous Alexander doesn't win it this year, or (Jayson) Tatum or Anthony Edwards, they might never win one...With (Michael) Jordan, how many guys did he block out from winning the award?... That might be what Wembanyama does to everybody else. You better win yours now if you're Luka, or Tatum or Anthony Edwards, etc."

“[Victor Wembanyama] is just around the corner”@TermineRadio talks with @SamMitchellNBA about the Spurs star possibly blocking some of the guys that haven’t won MVP yet. pic.twitter.com/hRePfvqkPP
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) October 8, 2024

MVP conversations are often overblown. The winner of the coveted award is usually part of a contending roster. The San Antonio Spurs are still multiple years away from being seen as a top team in the NBA. As such, Wembanyama's MVP window is likely still a couple of years away.

Nevertheless, once he begins knocking on the door of the MVP voting process, it won't be long before he earns the crown. He's seen as the future face of the NBA, and an MVP award is part of the process of taking his place on the throne LeBron James has rested on for the past 21 years.

It's unlikely he will win an MVP every season, as a myriad of factors impact the voting process, including voter fatigue. Nevertheless, his presence will make it much harder for some of the other young stars in the league. In that respect, Termine is right, the next few years could be the only chance some other players have of adding the award to their resume.

Everybody knew Wembanyama was coming to the league last season. Now, they know he's coming again, and because of that, we could see multiple players make adjustments to their games over the next few years.

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