Victor Wembanyama Wins 2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, Full Voting Results

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2025-26 NBA season on Monday after a unanimous vote.

At 22 years old, Wembanyama is the youngest Defensive Player of the Year winner in NBA history.

He won the award over fellow finalists Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons.

Wembanyama put together a stellar 2025-26 campaign, helping the Spurs finish with the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs by compiling a 62-20 record.

He's used his 7'4" height and 8'0" wingspan to routinely deter shots at the rim and disrupt passing lanes, averaging a league-leading 3.1 blocks to go along with 1.0 steals per game.

Wembanyama's impact was a key reason why the Spurs finished with the No. 3 defensive rating in the association (via NBA.com).

Ridiculous Wemby Sequence

00:29

He previously appeared to be a serious contender for Defensive Player of the Year honors at the beginning of the 2024-25 season, but ended up playing just 46 games and missing the end of the year due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

Still, Wembanyama was able to return and help lead San Antonio to its first playoff appearance since 2019.

He made his presence felt on both ends of the floor throughout this season, recording 25.0 points and 11.5 rebounds to go along with 3.1 assists per game.

With 2025 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle taking a step forward during his sophomore season as well as the promising play of rookies Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant, the future is extremely bright in San Antonio following Wembanyama's latest accolade.