Wembanyama gets 100% vote to win NBA award

San Antonio Spurs centre Victor Wembanyama has been named the NBA's defensive player of the year 

The 7ft 4in France international is the first unanimous winner in the award's 43-year history having secured all 100 of the first-place votes. At 22, he is the youngest player to win the award and the second to win it within their first three seasons, after Spurs legend David Robinson (1991-92).

Wembanyama was the first overall draft pick in 2023 and has led the league in blocks (3.1 per game) for the third straight season. The two-time All-Star also averaged career highs in points (25.0) and rebounds (11.5), and claimed a steal per game.

"I'm super, super happy to win this award and actually super proud to be the first ever unanimous [winner]," he told NBC.

Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren finished second with 239 points (76 second-place votes), while Ausar Thompson of the Detroit Pistons was third with 60 points (nine second-place votes). Wembanyama, who is also a Most Valuable Player contender, helped San Antonio post the second-best record in the regular season (62-20) and their defence was ranked third overall.

German NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki told AFP: "I've never seen anything like it. His defence is so good that he changes the game just by being on the court and taking away some of the lay-ups and twos that other teams would usually take."