Mitch Johnson reveals Victor Wembanyama’s unique defensive mindset as DPOI chances rise
Victor Vembanyama cemented himself as the NBA’s most feared defender in his third season. The defensive influence of the French phenomenon was the driving force in the The emergence of the San Antonio Spurs as title contenders.
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson has revealed how Vembanyama’s mentality separates him from other elite defenders.
“You can see that he’s definitely taken it upon himself to be very aggressive and physical on the ball. I think one thing that stands out about him and a few other guys in this league is that he looks to guard the primary players on the other team, regardless of their position or skill set. And that’s a unique ability that not everyone can do just with a combination of size, ability and athleticism,” Johnson said.
Vembana’s defensive influence bordered on historic this season.
Victor Wembanyama’s DPOI odds are rising amid Spurs’ success
The 22-year-old leads the NBA with 3.9 steals (steals + blocks) per game, 0.8 ahead of the next player (Scottie Barnes: 3.0). San Antonio is allowing 10.6 fewer points per 100 possessions with Vembanjam on the court versus off, the second-highest defensive rating in the NBA behind only Rudy Gobert (-12.7), per CleaningTheGlass.
Vembanyama held off MVP candidate Cade Cunningham with help from Stephon Castle to his worst performance of the season during the Spurs’ 114-103 win over the Detroit Pistons on Monday. Cunningham scored 16 points on 5-of-26 shooting in the loss.
From meat is -500 to win Defensive Player of the Year amid the Spurs’ 42-16 campaign (3rd in the NBA), according to FanDuel SportsBook. Chet Holmgren has the next highest odds at +500.
2026-02-26 18:39:00
