San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is really living up to his “Alien” nickname.
On Sunday, Wembanyama led the Spurs to a 111-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals round. Wembanyama scored 35 points, the most ever in a playoff debut for a Spurs player in franchise history.
Now, Wembanyama has been named the KIA NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and he received every first-place vote to become the first-ever unanimous winner since the inception of the award.
Victor Wembanyama is the first unanimous Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year since the award’s inception in 1982-83.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 20, 2026
The winner was selected by a global media panel of 100 voters.
Complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/wIUDEDWJtm
Wembanyama stated previously that he would be surprised if he wasn’t the winner of the award, although there is no upset here.
Wembanyama, 22, is also the youngest player to win the award, and he becomes the first to win it in his first three seasons in the league.
Victor Wembanyama is the youngest player to win the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 20, 2026
He is also the first player to win the award within his first three seasons since David Robinson (1991-92 with San Antonio). https://t.co/D6wU6hsvJI
Oklahoma City Thunder star Chet Holmgren had 239 total points, but no other player had more than 80 points in the DPOY voting.
Wembanyama was the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and he has quickly become one of the best players in the league. The Spurs and Trail Blazers will face off in Game 2 on Tuesday night at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
