Victor Wembanyama Unanimously Voted As 2024 NBA Rookie Of The Year

Although the San Antonio Spurs’ season is officially over, star player Victor Wembanyama has milestones to celebrate. The 20-year-old has been named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 2023-2024 season. In a unanimous decision, the 7′ 4″ power forward earned all 99 first-place votes.

According to ESPN, Wembanyama becomes the sixth unanimous Rookie of the Year in the last 40 years, joining Ralph Sampson (1984), David Robinson (1990) Blake Griffin (2011), Damian Lillard (2013), and Karl-Anthony Towns (2016).

He also follows in the footsteps of Tim Duncan. Like Wembanyama, Duncan was also a Spurs No. 1 pick. Duncan was awarded the honor in 1998.

Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball against Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on November 02, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Spurs defeated the Suns 132-121.

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

“My goals were always to help my team as best as I could and get better as the year went on,” explained Wembanyama, per ESPN. “I knew in order to do this, I had to be individually good on the court and dominant. So, it was a huge thing for me and a big thing to get. It’s always been really important and I’m glad it’s finally official.”

The stand-out athlete is also one of three finalists for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award. Stats put up by the Rookie of the Year include becoming the second rookie in NBA history to lead the league in blocks, becoming the first rookie to record 250 blocks in a season, and averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.

Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder came in second place for Rookie Of The Year with 98 second-place votes while the Charlotte Hornets’ Brandon Miller came in third.