Victor Wembanyama Wins NBA's Rookie of the Year
French player Victor Wembanyama confirmed all predictions on Monday and clinched the "Rookie of the Year" award in the NBA, after a spectacular debut in the world's best basketball league.
The 20-year-old center for the San Antonio Spurs prevailed over the other two finalists for this rookie award: Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets).
Wembanyama's award was a unanimous decision as he received 99 out of 99 possible first-place votes for Rookie of the Year (each panel member had three choices).
Only five players had previously won this award with 100% of the votes: Ralph Sampson, David Robinson, Blake Griffin, Damian Lillard, and Dominican Karl-Anthony Towns.
Wembanyama's marvelous performance in his first year in the NBA did not translate to success for his team, the San Antonio Spurs, led by Gregg Popovich, who finished second to last in the Western Conference with a dismal record of 22-60.
Awaiting to see if the Spurs take a step forward next season to complement the generational talent they have on hand, Wembanyama will face a very special occasion this summer with the 2024 Paris Olympics, leading the French national team.