Warriors' Draymond Green Argues Victor Wembanyama Shouldn't Win 2024 NBA DPOY Award

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green expressed his belief Wednesday that San Antonio Spurs superstar rookie Victor Wembanyama should not win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award despite his stellar debut season.

Speaking on The Volume's Draymond Green Show, Green suggested that San Antonio's poor team defense should preclude Wembanyama from being named Defensive Player of the Year:

"He'll have these numbers and he'll have opportunities to win Defensive Player of the Years. I personally don't think that is this year. Even if [Minnesota Timberwolves center] Rudy Gobert wasn't having the year that he's having and their team wasn't having the season that they're having, I still don't think you can give that award to somebody who's on the 24th-best defense in the league."

The 7'4" Wembanyama was one of the most-hyped NBA draft prospects in recent memory, and he went first overall to the Spurs in the 2023 NBA draft. Remarkably, it can be argued that he has been even better than expected.

In 56 games this season, the 20-year-old Frenchman is averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals and a league-leading 3.4 blocks per contest.

Along with leading the NBA in blocks per game and total blocks, Wemby is 12th in rebounds per game, 14th in steals per game 10th in defensive win shares and third in defensive rating.

However, to Green's point, the Spurs are the worst team in the Western Conference at 13-49, and they allow 120.2 points per game, which is 25th in the NBA.

By comparison, Gobert is averaging 12.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game in a resurgent season. He also leads the NBA in defensive win shares and defensive rating, and the 43-19 T-Wolves have the NBA's best defense, allowing just 106.5 points per game, which is nearly three points per game better than any other team.

That, coupled with Gobert's pedigree as a three-time Defensive Player of the Year already, has to make him the odds-on favorite to win the award this year.

Green, who is a one-time NBA DPOY in his own right, seems to see greatness and plenty of awards in Wembanyama's future, but crowning him as a rookie may be a bit premature.

The fact that Wembanyama is even in the DPOY conversation while playing for one of the NBA's worst teams is a testament to his ability and suggests he will likely dominate the NBA for years to come.