How Victor Wembanyama feels about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP
Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images Victor Wembanyama entered the Western Conference Finals with individual context following him, after finishing third in the NBA MVP race behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. The Spurs centre had already won Defensive Player of the Year unanimously, but the MVP result placed him behind two more established offensive stars. His answer came on the floor first.
Wembanyama produced 41 points, 24 rebounds and three blocks as San Antonio beat Oklahoma City 122-115 in double overtime. Victor Wembanyama gives clear answer on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s second MVP award Photo by Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images After Game 1, Wembanyama was asked about how he felt about Gilgeous-Alexander winning MVP before the series opened in Oklahoma City. “Feels like I still got a lot to learn, and I want to get that trophy many times in my career,” the Frenchman said.
The answer was brief, but it fitted the night. Wembanyama did not dismiss Gilgeous-Alexander’s award, yet he made clear that MVP is now part of his own long-term target. That matters because the matchup put the league’s present and future together.
The Canadian guard had the trophy, while Wembanyama had the decisive Game 1 performance. The wider numbers strengthened that point. The talented center became the youngest player to record a 40-point, 20-rebound playoff game, moving the conversation beyond regular-season voting.
For San Antonio, the win gave them an important 1-0 series lead as they started the series away. On the other hand, for Wembanyama, it was a sign of what could be expected from him in future MVP races. Read more: What Victor Wembanyama feels about ‘8 billion opinions’ on his best NBA player status Knicks aim to break historic curse in Eastern Conference Finals Victor Wembanyama dominates Game 1: new face of the NBA is born