Wembanyama makes history winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year by unanimous vote

[p]Last year, [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/wembanyama-victor/jFmM1MFl/"]Wembanyama[/a][/b] looked set to claim the [i]Defensive Player of the Year[/i] trophy in just his second NBA season, but an injury that ended his campaign right after the All-Star Game kept him out of contention, due to the 65-game rule.[/p][p]This time, it was hard to see how the trophy could slip away from him.[/p][p]Named as one of the three finalists alongside [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/holmgren-chet/WxvJz45d/"]Chet Holmgren[/a][/b] (Oklahoma City Thunder) and [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/thompson-ausar/GA3f2MiL/"]Ausar Thompson[/a][/b] (Detroit Pistons), he was the overwhelming favorite.[/p][p]Logic prevailed, and for the first time, the award was given unanimously, as he also became the youngest player ever to win it at 22 years old.[/p][embed guid="a60599a9-789d-422b-984d-372c6273f122" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2046352930228306302" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Wemby continues to make history[/h2][p]In his third NBA season, [b]Wembanyama[/b] has now collected his second individual trophy. The first, of course, was the [i]Rookie of the Year[/i] title in 2024, which he also won unanimously. Not to mention, he finished second in the [i]Defensive Player of the Year[/i] voting behind another Frenchman, [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gobert-rudy/boMyt82G/"]Rudy Gobert[/a][/b], who claimed the award for the fourth time in his career, tying [b]Dikembe Mutombo[/b] and [b]Ben Wallace[/b] for the most DPOY titles. That record now seems well within reach for "Wemby."[/p][p]The French center also becomes the fourth player in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/san-antonio-spurs/IwmkErSH/"]San Antonio Spurs[/a] history to win this award, after [b]Alvin Robertson[/b], [b]David Robinson[/b], and [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leonard-kawhi/d4zqZuLO/"]Kawhi Leonard[/a][/b], the only one to have won it twice. Until next year?[/p][embed guid="fa289fe7-ae8c-4424-838b-823e0b693ba1" url="https://x.com/NBAPR/status/2046354097012388224?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]But above all, is this just the beginning of a trophy haul for Wemby?[/p][p]Last night, he was also named a finalist for the most prestigious award of all, [i]Most Valuable Player[/i], alongside reigning MVP [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gilgeous-alexander-shai/d6TE5wgc/"]Shai Gilgeous-Alexander[/a][/b] and three-time MVP [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jokic-nikola/dUHaiJ5n/"]Nikola Jokic[/a][/b].[/p][p]SGA is set to win back-to-back MVPs, but the hype around [b]Wembanyama[/b] at the end of the season was huge.[/p][p]So, maybe?[/p][embed guid="0778d89d-0dad-4946-9964-ebc48cf6d0e4" url="https://x.com/NBA/status/2046358296852848828?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][h2]Defensive Player of the Year winners[/h2][p]2025    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mobley-evan/SrZZLQHj/"]Evan Mobley[/a] (Cleveland Cavaliers)[/p][p]2024    Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves)[/p][p]2023    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jackson-jaren/h8oYS0m9/"]Jaren Jackson Jr.[/a] (Memphis Grizzlies)[/p][p]2022    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/smart-marcus/Q1HV4AFU/"]Marcus Smart[/a] (Boston Celtics)[/p][p]2021    Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)[/p][p]2020    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antetokounmpo-giannis/zw2Tm2a1/"]Giannis Antetokounmpo[/a]    (Milwaukee Bucks)[/p][p]2019    Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)[/p][p]2018    Rudy Gobert (Utah Jazz)[/p][p]2017    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/green-draymond/fDcC7RbR/"]Draymond Green[/a] (Golden State Warriors)[/p][p]2016    Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs)[/p][p]2015    Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs)[/p][p]2014    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/noah-joakim/fTsDc7l5/"]Joakim Noah[/a] (Chicago Bulls)[/p][p]2013    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gasol-marc/AVMsbgY5/"]Marc Gasol[/a] (Memphis Grizzlies)[/p][p]2012    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chandler-tyson/K6BtaQGk/"]Tyson Chandler[/a] (New York Knicks)[/p][p]2011    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/howard-dwight/Spj3Ufdh/"]Dwight Howard[/a] (Orlando Magic)[/p][p]2010    Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)[/p][p]2009    Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)[/p][p]2008    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garnett-kevin/0nW8E5O3/"]Kevin Garnett[/a] (Boston Celtics)[/p][p]2007    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/camby-marcus/637x061q/"]Marcus Camby[/a] (Denver Nuggets)[/p][p]2006    Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons)[/p][p]2005    Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons)[/p][p]2004    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/artest-ron/tbOHmvpR/"]Ron Artest[/a] (Indiana Pacers)[/p][p]2003    Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons)[/p][p]2002    Ben Wallace (Detroit Pistons)[/p][p]2001    Dikembe Mutombo (Philadelphia 76ers)[/p][p]2000    Alonzo Mourning (Miami Heat)[/p][p]1999    Alonzo Mourning (Miami Heat)[/p][p]1998    Dikembe Mutombo (Atlanta Hawks)[/p][p]1997    Dikembe Mutombo (Atlanta Hawks)[/p][p]1996    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/payton-gary/SrJ96uWH/"]Gary Payton[/a] (Seattle SuperSonics)[/p][p]1995    Dikembe Mutombo (Denver Nuggets)[/p][p]1994    Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets)[/p][p]1993    Hakeem Olajuwon (Houston Rockets)[/p][p]1992    David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs)[/p][p]1991    [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rodman-dennis/KjtXmUJ7/"]Dennis Rodman[/a] (Detroit Pistons)[/p][p]1990    Dennis Rodman (Detroit Pistons)[/p][p]1989    Mark Eaton (Utah Jazz)[/p][p]1988    Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)[/p][p]1987    Michael Cooper (Los Angeles Lakers)[/p][p]1986    Alvin Robertson (San Antonio Spurs)[/p][p]1985    Mark Eaton (Utah Jazz)[/p][p]1984    Sidney Moncrief (Milwaukee Bucks)[/p][p]1983    Sidney Moncrief (Milwaukee Bucks)[/p]