Victor Wembanyama crowned ROTY winner, joins Spurs elite most with Tim Duncan and David Robinson
Following a year of endless hype before being drafted, Victor Wembanyama's expectations in the NBA were high. The 2023 No.1 pick answered the call in a big way as he was named Rookie of the Year.
At the start of the year, it looked like the ROY race was going to be close. After missing all of last season due to injury, Chet Holmgren instantly became a two-way contributor for the OKC Thunder. However, Wembanyama's strong push in the final weeks of the year allowed him to become the clear frontrunner.
Victor Wembanyama played in 71 games for the San Antonio Spurs, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He also led the NBA in blocks at just under four a game.
With this win, Wemanyama joins the elite company as the third Spurs player ever to be named Rookie of the Year. The first to do so was Hall of Fame big man David Robinson in 1990. Eight years later, Tim Duncan achieved the same feat after being drafted No.1 overall as well.
At the age of 20, Wembanyama has already proven to be one of the most interesting on-court talents the game has ever seen. Following his impressive rookie campaign, many expect him to be one of the NBA's top young stars for years to come.
Breaking down Victor Wembanyama's top performances as a rookie
Throughout the season, Victor Wembanyama had countless jaw-dropping performances. However, some occasions stand out above the rest.
One of Wemby's top outings came in just his fifth game of the year. In a matchup against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns, the Spurs rookie had his coming-out performance. Wembanyama posted 38 points and 10 rebounds in a win. This would go on to be his second-highest-scoring outing of the season.
Another performance that deserves a mention was against the Toronto Raptors in the middle of February. In just 29 minutes of action, Victor Wembanyama managed to record a triple-double. His complete stat line was 27 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals and 10 blocks. This was the only game this season that Wemby recorded double-digit blocked shots.
When it comes to Wembanyama's best game of the year, one outing stands out above the rest. That being a game against the New York Knicks at the end of March.
Wembanyama scored a career-high 40 points in this matchup to go along with 20 rebounds and seven assists. Led by this strong performance, the Spurs went on to beat the Knicks by four in overtime.