Victor Wembanyama throws down gauntlet in Defensive Player of the Year race

As the San Antonio Spurs try to develop a championship team around Victor Wembanyama, the prized rookie is looking to control the Defensive Player of the Year award for every season after this year. As noted by Tom Orsborn of San Antonio Express-News, Victor Wembanyama has told French journalist Théo Quintard that Rudy Gobert deserves it this season but "after that it's no longer his turn".

Wembanyama has shown to be one of the best defenders in the league this season but the Spurs are currently battling to get to 20 wins this season. It's quite possible that San Antonio will not be able to get there with the lack of talent around the star rookie. Despite not having a great roster outside fellow youngster Devin Vassell, Wembanyama looks like a possible multi-time MVP.

With a Spurs squad that is set to get better in the future, is the French star set to be the best defensive player of the next decade?

Could Victor Wembanyama win multiple Defensive Player of the Year Awards?

With the way that Wembanyama has played over his rookie year, he is looking like a future first-ballot Hall-of-Famer if he reaches his potential. If the Spurs are able to build a strong team around him, then Wembanyama has a great shot to be a multi-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

He might not be able to win every Defensive Player of the Year for the rest of his career, but he will almost certainly be in the conversation for any season in which he's healthy. And, regardless of how many awards he eventually wins, you love to see a talented young player both showing respect to his elders AND expressing supreme confidence in his own talent and potential to dominate in the future.