Victor Wembanyama becomes first rookie on NBA’s All-Defense First Team

Victor Wembanyama (Google Images)

San Antonio Spurs center and power forward Victor Wembanyama of Le Chesnay, France was honoured for the second time this week. One day after the 2023-24 National Basketball Association Rookie of the Year made the 2023-24 NBA All-Rookie Team, Wembanyama became the first rookie in NBA history to be named to the All-Defense Team on Tuesday.

Wembanyama became only the second rookie ever to lead the NBA in blocks per game (3.6) and total blocks (254). The only other rookie to accomplish the feat was center Manute Bol of Gogrial, South Sudan, who had five blocks per game and 397 total blocks with the Washington Bullets in 1985-86. Remarkably, Bol was only on the second NBA All-Defense team that season, as the players recognized before Bol were Utah Jazz center Mark Eaton of Inglewood, California, Philadelphia 76ers point guard Maurice Cheeks of Chicago, Illinois, Milwaukee Bucks shooting guard Sidney Moncrief of Little Rock, Arkansas, Boston Celtics power forward Kevin McHale of Hibbing, Minnesota and Bucks small forward Paul Pressey of Richmond, Virginia.

From a defensive perspective, Wembanyama also had 8.4 defensive rebounds per game and 1.2 steals per game. He was also the runner-up for defensive player of the year. Another Frenchman, Rudy Gobert of Saint-Quentin, France received that honour this year. The Minnesota Timberwolves center, who was also on the NBA All-Defense Team, had 982 rebounds, 162 blocked shots, and 52 steals. The other three defensive players honoured on the NBA All-Defense Team were Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo of Newark, New Jersey, New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Los Angeles Lakers center Anthony Davis of Chicago, Illinois.

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