Wembanyama enters Year 4 with MVP hopes and a title prediction

Victor Wembanyama enters his fourth NBA season with the San Antonio Spurs after becoming the league’s first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and reaching the Finals with his team. He finished third in MVP voting last season and sits atop CBS Sports’ ranking of players for 2026-27.

The question now is how much further he can take the Spurs. CBS Sports has backed Wembanyama to win his first MVP award, another Defensive Player of the Year award and a championship this season, though those remain predictions rather than achievements.

A season that raised expectations

Wembanyama became the only player in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks on 62% true shooting last season. His impact continued in the playoffs: he scored 35 points in his first postseason game against the Blazers, then responded to an ejection in Game 4 against the Timberwolves with 27 points, 17 rebounds, five assists and three blocks as San Antonio won its next two games by 59 points.

Against the Thunder in the conference finals, he produced 41 points and 24 rebounds in a double-overtime Game 1 win. The Spurs reached the Finals, where Jalen Brunson and the Knicks overcame them.

Where his attack can improve

Despite those performances, Wembanyama’s shot selection offers room for growth. He made 34% of his 3-point attempts last season, while taking about five and a half per game, and the CBS Sports analysis argues that he could establish himself closer to the basket more consistently.

That was not always straightforward in the playoffs. Isaiah Hartenstein pushed him away from the paint at times against the Thunder, while the Knicks forced 22 of his first 42 Finals shots to come from outside the paint.

His first three Finals games illustrated the value of getting closer. His average shot distance fell from 17.3 feet in Game 1 to 10.6 feet in Game 3, while his effective field-goal percentage rose from 33.3% to 66.7% over the same span. He also made 42% of his shots from the short mid-range last season, according to Cleaning the Glass, an area the analysis identifies as another opportunity.

What Year 4 could bring

Winning MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season would put Wembanyama alongside Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Adding a championship in that season would place him alongside only Olajuwon, according to the CBS Sports account.

The 65-game rule could affect that pursuit as the Spurs weigh how cautiously to use Wembanyama. For now, his established defensive record and last season’s Finals run give San Antonio a strong starting point, while his offensive development may determine how far it goes next.