Victor Wembanyama makes NBA history as he is named Defensive Player of the Year

Victor Wembanyama has made NBA history by becoming the first player ever to be unanimously voted Defensive Player of the Year. The San Antonio Spurs' prodigious centre, aged just 22, secured the prestigious award on Monday, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning career. Standing at an imposing 7-foot-4 – or perhaps even taller – Wembanyama dominated the league, leading the NBA in blocked shots for a third consecutive season and consistently disrupting opposing offenses.

His defensive prowess left little doubt among voters, with Spurs forward Keldon Johnson declaring him the "best player in the world. " The unanimous decision underscores the extraordinary nature of Wembanyama's achievement. In the 10 seasons since Stephen Curry became the unanimous MVP in 2016, there have been only two instances of a player securing 100% of first-place votes for an award: Wembanyama's own Rookie of the Year triumph in 2024, and now his DPOY win.

This remarkable feat means no player in at least the last 50 seasons – and potentially ever, given the historical data limitations – has won two major individual awards unanimously. It marks only the 10th known unanimous pick across any of the major individual accolades, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, DPOY, or Coach of the Year. Wembanyama was unanimously voted the winner of the award (AP) Notably, even NBA titans such as LeBron James and Michael Jordan never achieved a unanimous major award victory.

Wembanyama's victory also makes him the youngest DPOY winner, as he will not turn 23 until next January, while all previous recipients were at least 23. The Spurs now boast the most DPOY winners of any franchise, with Wembanyama joining Alvin Robertson (1986), David Robinson (1992), and Kawhi Leonard (2015, 2016). He also joins Robinson and Jordan as the only players to win both Rookie of the Year and DPOY.