Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs looks on in the game against the memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee, April 9, 2024. /CFP
Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs was selected into the NBA All-Defensive First Team, the league announced on Tuesday. The 20-year-old French unicorn etched his name in history by becoming the first rookie ever voted into the All-Defensive First Team.
"Coming into this league, obviously he had high expectations because he's 7-3 and shooting step-back 3s. I think a lot of people paid more attention to that than what he actually did on the defensive end," the Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo said of Wembanyama. "So, for him to get first-team, first come around, it's obviously a great accolade for him."
Adebayo was on the First Team as well, together with Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Herbert Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans and Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers. The five players selected for the Second Team were Alex Caruso of the Chicago Bulls, Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic, Jaden McDaniels of the Timberwolves plus Derrick White and Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics.
Victor Wembanyama (R) of the San Antonio Spurs blocks a shot by KJ Martin of the Philadelphia 76ers in the game at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, April 7, 2024. /CFP
In his first NBA season, Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game. His towering presence established a "no-fly zone" in the paint. Meanwhile, he's quick and agile enough to switch and guard most perimeter players. In a way, Wembanyama was like a bigger version of Kevin Garnett, one of the greatest defenders in NBA history.
That's why Wembanyama also won the Rookie of the Year award and finished in second place in the race for the Defensive Player of the Year, only behind Rudy Gobert. The league will announce the three All-NBA teams on Wednesday. If Wembanyama is selected for any of them, he will be the first rookie to secure this honor since Tim Duncan, the greatest player in Spurs' history, in 1998.
Before Wembanyama, five players in NBA history were selected for the All-Defensive Second Team in their rookie season: Tim Duncan in 1998, David Robinson of the Spurs in 1990, Manute Bol of the Washington Bullets in 1986, Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets in 1985 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970.