SAN ANTONIO – Spurs’ star Victor Wembanyama, newly crowned NBA Defensive Player of the Year, had a shootaround with teammates Tuesday morning ahead of Game 2 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Wembanyama set a Spurs playoff record with 35 points in his postseason debut Sunday, leading San Antonio to a 111-98 win. On Monday, he was named the NBA’s 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first player to win the award unanimously.
>> Spurs’ Wembanyama named Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year
At shootaround, Wembanyama told reporters what motivated him to prioritize defense.
“I had the reputation of not playing defense. That really stuck with me,” Wembanyama said. “When you play in Europe in a professional academy, like I did, you have one job when you start practicing with the adults — you have to guard. You have to rebound and play defense. If you’re not able to do that, you don’t have a spot.”
He also recalled a moment from his early playing days that fueled his development.
“There was one interesting moment,” he said. “I was 14 or 15, I don’t know. The opposing coach said, ‘Oh yeah, he’s an NBA prospect, but he can’t play defense. Attack him.’ I took that personally.”
With two major NBA honors already, Wembanyama remains in the MVP conversation.
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