Wemby's Burden: Is MVP Talk Too Much, Too Soon?

Look, everyone loves a phenom. And Victor Wembanyama, at 7-foot-4 with a wingspan that could lasso a small horse, is certainly that. ESPN's Mike Greenberg and the "Get Up" crew were practically doing cartwheels this week, gushing over Wemby's recent comments about the MVP award. Wembanyama, after a 31-point, 12-rebound, 6-assist, 6-block performance against the Nuggets on March 8th, said his goal is to win MVP every year. Greenberg called it "the best thing that's happened to the NBA in recent memory."

Real talk: I get the excitement. It’s refreshing to hear a young star articulate such lofty goals. We’ve seen plenty of guys shy away from that kind of talk early in their careers. And Wembanyama backs it up, or at least he tries to. He's averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.6 blocks per game as a rookie. Those are absurd numbers for anyone, let alone a 20-year-old in his first NBA season. On February 12th, he recorded the league's 15th-ever 5x5 game against the Lakers, posting 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks. That's Hall of Fame stuff.

But here’s the thing about "MVP mentality" – it’s a double-edged sword. While it’s great to have those aspirations, putting that kind of pressure on a kid in his rookie year, especially one whose team is 20-61, feels a little… premature. The Spurs are dead last in the Western Conference. They haven't won more than 22 games in any of the last four seasons. An MVP drives winning, and right now, Wembanyama isn't doing that, through no fault of his own. He's playing on a roster that struggles to find consistent offense outside of him. Keldon Johnson, their second-leading scorer, is averaging 15.7 points. That's a huge drop-off.

The league has a habit of anointing the next big thing before they've even had a chance to shave. Remember LeBron James's "Chosen One" tattoo and the immense expectations that came with it? He delivered, eventually. But it took time. Michael Jordan didn't win his first MVP until his third season, 1987-88, when he averaged 35 points and the Bulls went 50-32. Giannis Antetokounmpo, another international marvel, won his first MVP in his sixth season. Wembanyama's talent is undeniable, a generational gift we haven't seen since perhaps Shaq or Tim Duncan.

But let's pump the brakes on the "best thing to happen to the NBA" rhetoric. We’ve seen plenty of players with immense talent get derailed by injury, by poor team construction, or by the sheer weight of expectation. For all of Wemby's individual brilliance, including a career-high 40 points and 20 rebounds against the Knicks on March 29th, the Spurs are still losing, and often by significant margins. The MVP award isn't just about individual stats; it's about elevating your team to contention.

My hot take? If Wembanyama truly wants to be an MVP, he needs the Spurs front office to build a legitimate contender around him, and soon. Otherwise, all that "MVP mentality" will just be a talking point for a highlight reel on a lottery team. He's too good to be losing 60 games a year for long.

I predict Wembanyama wins his first MVP trophy by the end of the 2026-27 season.