Opinion: Victor Wembanyama is an all-around NBA star

Over his first three NBA seasons, we know just how much of a force Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs can be from a blocking perspective. He has led the NBA in blocks three straight years (254 in 2023-24, 176 in 2024-25, and 197 in 2025-26). Wembanyama is already 227th on the all-time blocks list in NBA history, and can be described as an elite blocking machine. His blocking skills was the primary reason why Wembanyama was named the 2025-26 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. 

In the 2026 NBA postseason, Wembanyama already has 38 blocks in nine playoff games. So the native of Le Chesnay, France is averaging 4.2 blocks per game.

What can be overlooked at times is Wembanyama’s rebounding ability and offensive production. On Tuesday, the Spurs all-time center had 17 rebounds in a 126-97 San Antonio victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in game five of the second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs. Wembanyama also scored 27 points and was a +24. With the win, the Spurs took a three games to two lead in the best out of seven series.

It was an excellent second half for the Spurs in game five. They outscored Minnesota in the final 24 minutes by a score of 67-50. The Timberwolves’s bench players struggled do get anything going as they only scored eight points in the final two quarters. San Antonio, meanwhile, had excellent bench production as they scored 31 points in the second half as a team. The best Spurs bench player was small forward Keldon Johnson of Chesterfield, Virginia, who had 13 second half points in a non-starting role, and had 21 points overall. That was the second most number of points for the Spurs, as he was only behind Wembanyama.

San Antonio can now clinch their series on Friday night. With a win, they will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.