'How Do You Measure Fear?,' Wemby's Defensive Presence Hyped by Rival NBA Execs amid Spurs-Thunder

There is no doubt San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama is seen as the best defender in the NBA, but his overall impact is more than numbers can quantify.

"As long as I've been in the NBA, I think it's something that we've always talked about," a Western Conference analytics staffer told ESPN's Baxter Holmes for a story published Sunday. "How do you measure fear?"

Holmes explained that "Wembanyama's mere presence evokes something analytics staffers across the league told ESPN that they struggle to accurately quantify."

Simply put, opponents change the way they attack on the offensive end when they are facing the 22-year-old.

His interior presence means they hesitate to drive the lane. His overall versatility and ability to challenge shots on the perimeter impacts which three-pointers are attempted. And his wingspan impacts decisions about when and where to pass the ball.

"Everyone likes pointing out the videos where guys drive into the paint and then just dribble it out," an Eastern Conference analytics staffer said. "I think it's even more than that. I think it's whether they drive in the first place.

"They've got a menu in their head of, 'This is what I can do in this possession—and driving to the rim is just not on the menu. … What he does best is hard to quantify."

The statistics that do quantify his impact are impressive, as Wembanyama led the league with 3.1 blocks per game. He has led the NBA in that category in each of his first three seasons, and he took home his first of what figures to be many Defensive Player of the Year awards in 2025-26.

Opponents also shot a staggering 8.6 percent worse than their normal field-goal percentage when he defended them this season, per NBA.com. 

That impact was clear inside the paint and on the perimeter, as opponents shot 8.6 percent worse inside six feet and 5.1 percent worse from three-point range.

There's only so much players can do against a 7'4" big with the athleticism of a guard and the ability to cover as much ground as the Spurs star does. And the scariest thing for opponents is he only figures to get better seeing how he is 22 years old and likely still adjusting some to the NBA game.

He will look to use that defensive dominance to help even the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder at two games apiece during Sunday's Game 4.