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Victor Wembanyama weighs in on the NBA's best player, makes a surprising admission about Jokic
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- Victor Wembanyama weighs in on the NBA's best player, makes a surprising admission about Jokic
Victor Wembanyama was on a dream run to start the 2025-26 season, making a strong case for league MVP and DPOY. Unfortunately, this great run was halted after the San Antonio Spurs center suffered a left calf strain, keeping him out for twelve games so far.
However, it is only a matter of time before Wemby returns to the hardwood. A top favorite to win league MVP to start the season, he has some catching up to do now, with the likes of Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up a show for the ages.
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Nonetheless, given Victor's history, it should not take him long to find his rhythm again. Luckily, the Spurs have done an impressive job of holding the fort during this course. Preparing for his comeback, he recently revealed his top picks for the league's current best player.
"I think Jokic is the best offensive player. I don't think he's the best player. It's hard to say, I think it's between Giannis and Shai. When I come back on the court, I think it will be me," warned Wembanyama, who was among the early favorites for the 2025-26 league MVP.
Why not The Joker?
Victor stuck to the popular choices when addressing the NBA's current best player. However, he issued an interesting take on Jokic, who has taken the basketball world by storm this season. From the way things appeared, Wemby wasn't very pleased with The Joker's defense, something that has been the subject of discussion in the past as well.
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The Denver Nuggets center may not be the best rim protector, but he does possess high defensive IQ and rebounding ability. His ability to read plays and preempt opposition moves helps his team on both ends of the floor. Jokic does not get enough credit for his ability to disrupt the opponent's lanes and passes with his steals and deflections.
Currently averaging a triple-double of 29.5 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.9 assists on 62.2/42.4/85 percent shooting splits, Jokic leads the league in rebounds and is second overall in defensive rebounds. Hence, Wemby may want to revisit his assessment of The Joker. Nevertheless, this is not to discount SGA and Antetokounmpo's case as the best player.
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Gearing up for his return after rehabbing from a left calf strain, Wemby is looking to give all these big names a run for their money.
The Alien means business
A generational talent, Victor has undoubtedly lived up to all the hype and expectations. Sadly, the Spurs center's sophomore year was cut short after he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. However, unlike in most past cases, Wembanayma recovered quickly.
Displaying his superhuman abilities once again, Vic picked up from where he had left off. In the 12 games he played before sustaining a calf strain, the French big man averaged 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.6 blocks on 50 percent efficiency from the field.
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According to the latest reports, Wemby will be available in the NBA Cup's semi-final game against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder . Vic surely cannot wait to return.
"Every single game is important, and I have a responsibility towards my team to come back as quick as I can, but also to be healthy, to not come back too early. It would have been a mistake to come back earlier. So, it just happens that I'm coming back on this game in Vegas here. But every single game I was pushing," disclosed the Spurs big man.
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While Wemby is eager to return, he should take it slow as he recovers from another health setback. As the league wraps up its first quarter of the season, things are only going to get more intense going forward.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 13, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
