Victor Wembanyama isn’t just the most intriguing young player in the NBA - he’s already bending the league’s rules with his presence. That’s not hyperbole.
That’s the reality Tyrese Haliburton laid out on a recent episode of Mind the Game, the podcast hosted by LeBron James and JJ Redick. Haliburton didn’t mince words when talking about the league’s new award eligibility rules and how they might be standing in the way of Wembanyama’s Defensive Player of the Year candidacy.
“I think it’s something that will be adjusted,” Haliburton said. “A big reason for that is Wemby. For him to not be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year when there’s a very good chance that he could win multiple over the course of his career…”
That’s not just praise - that’s peer recognition. And in the NBA, when your contemporaries start talking about you like that, it means something.
Now, to be clear: Wembanyama isn’t officially out of the DPOY race just yet. He’s played in 32 of his team’s first 46 games, which gives him a little wiggle room - three more missed games before he runs afoul of the 65-game minimum required for award eligibility.
But the clock is ticking. And the concern isn’t just whether he’ll make the cut.
It’s whether the rule itself is built to handle a player like him.
Because here’s the thing: Wemby isn’t just another promising rookie. He’s already one of the most disruptive forces on the defensive end we’ve seen in years.
His blend of length, timing, instincts, and mobility is unprecedented. He alters shots without even jumping.
He closes out on shooters like a shadow. And his presence in the paint has changed how teams approach the Spurs altogether.
This isn’t just about fairness - it’s about optics. Haliburton and LeBron both pointed out that most players want to play.
More often than not, it’s the medical staff or coaching decisions that lead to missed games. Penalizing players for absences that aren’t always in their control?
That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when it starts affecting legacy-defining accolades.
The league knew there would be pushback when it introduced the 65-game rule. The intent was clear: get stars on the floor more often.
But now we’re seeing the unintended consequences. When someone like Wembanyama - who by all accounts has been the most impactful defender in the league - might be disqualified from winning the DPOY award, it raises questions.
Not just about the rule, but about the credibility of the award itself.
And this isn’t just media hype. This is coming from the players themselves.
When fans say Wemby’s going to win multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards, it’s easy to chalk that up to excitement. But when NBA players - guys who have to game plan around him, who feel his presence on the court - are saying the same thing?
That carries weight.
This isn’t like the MVP race, where there are usually four or five guys with strong cases. If Jokic, Doncic, or even Wemby miss the cut for MVP due to the 65-game rule, and someone like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins it, people will understand.
Shai’s having that kind of season. But the Defensive Player of the Year conversation this year is different.
There’s Wemby, and then there’s everyone else.
That kind of dominance - that kind of separation - doesn’t come around often. And if the league’s rules are standing in the way of recognizing it, then it’s time to take a hard look at those rules.
Because if fans and players alike stop taking the awards seriously, they lose their meaning. And that’s something the NBA can’t afford.
Wembanyama is forcing that conversation. That’s the kind of power he already holds. Not just as a player, but as a rising face of the league.