Victor Wembanyama is already drawing some of the biggest expectations in the league, and Draymond Green just raised the bar even higher.
On a recent podcast episode with WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes, the Golden State Warriors forward said he sees Wembanyama as the favorite to win both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year. Green didn’t leave much room for doubt, either.
"I'mma go out on a limb that it's Wemby. With his impact defensively and offensively, the only thing that can stop him from MVP this year is injury... 1000% I think he takes home both of them this year," Green said on his podcast episode with WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes.
That kind of forecast carries real weight coming from Green, who has built a decorated career of his own with four All-Star nods, two All-NBA team selections, and a Defensive Player of the Year award.
Wembanyama’s resume is already starting to pile up as he heads toward his fourth NBA season. He has been to the NBA Finals, earned two All-Star nods, and won Defensive Player of the Year. Now the next step, at least in Green’s eyes, is the rare double that only Giannis Antetokounmpo has pulled off since the 2019-20 season.
Before Wembanyama was even the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the hype around him was enormous. Joining the San Antonio Spurs only pushed those expectations higher. Ahead of the 2026-27 season, the standard around him isn’t just to be great - it’s to chase multiple major awards at once.
In Other News...
Spurs Just Got A Bigger SGA Problem Than Last Season
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already a headache for the Spurs, and this preseason suggests the problem may be getting bigger rather than smaller. Oklahoma City is folding more off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot looks into his game, which adds another layer to a scorer San Antonio had already worked to slow down. The Thunder are also getting Jalen Williams back as a secondary playmaker, giving their offense another way to create pressure before Gilgeous-Alexander even catches the ball.
For San Antonio, the challenge is no longer just about picking up SGA at the point of attack and hoping the defense can hold up after that. The Spurs now have to track him through actions away from the ball, while also finding ways to clog Williams' passing lanes and keep Oklahoma City from turning simple movement into easy looks. It is a tougher assignment than last season, and one the Spurs will have to solve if they want to make life uncomfortable for the Thunder again. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs Hit With Early Tobias Harris Setback Fans Feared
Tobias Harris arrived as one of the Spurs bigger offseason additions, brought in to add scoring punch and a veteran voice to a young locker room. But the first chapter of his San Antonio stint will have to wait a little longer, after the forward suffered a left calf strain in the preseason and has been ruled out for the season opener.
Head coach Mitch Johnson said Harris is still progressing, but he needs more time on the court before he is ready to go. For a team that signed him to help steady the rotation and provide leadership, the early absence is a reminder that the Spurs will have to open the year without one of the most experienced pieces they added. [Read more 🡒]
Spurs 2022 Draft Class Just Took Another Brutal Hit
The Spurs 2022 draft class has taken a rough turn as preseason roster cuts continue to reshape the league. Jeremy Sochan, Blake Wesley and Malaki Branham, all first-round picks from that class, were waived by their respective teams as clubs trimmed down ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, a reminder of how quickly early draft momentum can fade when a young player never quite finds a long-term fit.
Sochan was waived by the Knicks after earlier stops with the Spurs and the Blazers, while Wesley and Branham were let go off Exhibit 10 deals and could wind up with G League affiliates. For San Antonio, the bigger picture is hard to miss: the franchise has already moved on to players who bring more versatile offensive tools, leaving that once-promising draft group looking more like a cautionary tale than a foundation. [Read more 🡒]