Inside the Epic Rivalry Shaping the 2026 NBA MVP Race: Assassin or Alien?
Wembanyama’s mere presence causes ball-handlers to turn away from the paint. With Wemby on the floor, opponents take 40.1% of their shots in the paint. With him off the floor, that rises to 48.4%. This 8.3% differential is extremely abnormal: In Rudy Gobert’s four years combined winning Defensive Player of the Year, the differential is 3.5%. Other recent winners? Evan Mobley: 3.1%. Jaren Jackson Jr.: 0.8%. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 1.4%. All are still impactful at deterring shots near the rim. None are on Victor’s level.


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