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"We trying to anoint him as the next great too fast" - Horry on whether Wemby is in the MVP conversation
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- "We trying to anoint him as the next great too fast" - Horry on whether Wemby is in the MVP conversation
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena last night, 136–108, in a game in which JJ Redick 's squad was without LeBron James , Luka Doncic , Austin Reaves , and Deandre Ayton due to injuries.
Victor Wembanyama , as expected, stuffed the stat sheet with 40 points, 12 rebounds, and two steals on 13-of-20 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. The game was practically decided in the first quarter after a hurricane-like start from the Frenchman, who had already poured in 25 points in the first eight minutes.
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Still, that performance didn't impress seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry , who doesn't believe the 7-foot-4 center should be in the top 5 of the MVP race despite his outstanding season.
"He's not even in my top 5, but he's an incredible player," Horry stressed . "He didn't play enough games to be in my top five. He's too inconsistent for me. He's only averaging like 24 points per game. You think about Kobe when he won the MVP, you think about Shaq, LeBron James, these guys did more things than Victor."
"I think we're trying to anoint him as the next great too fast," Horry added. "Don't get me wrong, the kid is absolutely fantastic, but he ain't no LeBron James, he ain't no Kobe Bryant. He's 7-foot-6; the kid should be averaging six blocks a game. I do have a vote."
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Horry has a point regarding Wemby's inconsistency
Horry's take may sound a bit harsh, considering we're talking about a player who just turned 22. Even in just his third season, Wembanyama has embraced the role of franchise leader in San Antonio .
That's no easy task given that the Spurs are one of the most decorated franchises in NBA history, especially after the long Gregg Popovich era. It's easy to lose direction during a transitional period, but Wemby has handled the pressure remarkably well so far.
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The Texas team currently sits second in the ultra-competitive Western Conference with a 37–16 record, trailing the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder by just 3.5 games.
Meanwhile, Wembanyama is averaging 24.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 51.2 percent from the field, 37.0 percent from deep on 4.9 attempts per game, and 81.1 percent from the free-throw line, all while committing just 2.7 turnovers per contest.
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Those numbers are phenomenal. The fact that Wemby was labeled as destined for greatness from day one only adds extra weight on his shoulders to be even better, year after year. Still, it feels like he hasn't come close to his ceiling yet. There are nights when Victor struggles, and one of the reasons may lie in his offensive development , something Alex Caruso explained.
"Offensively, he's still really raw," Caruso said . "If he gets within five feet of the basket, he can just dunk it, or grab it and put it in, so just working early. Against any person who is big and good in the league, you try and do your work early and get them away from the basket. His length is an issue, but he's not as strong as Giannis or Jokic, or Sengun or KD even, who can get to a spot and still be in balance."
"He's influenceable in certain spots where he catches it, and how he has his footwork. So that's just something you have to take and use to your advantage because, like you said, he's seven-foot-whatever and shoots it at nine feet, so if he wants to get a shot up, he's going to get a shot up," Caruso added.
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Wemby deserves to be in MVP talks
Wembanyama currently ranks just 33rd in the league in points in the paint at 10.2 per game, which is relatively low for someone with his size and length. While the French big man moves exceptionally well on the perimeter and has the ability to dominate outside the paint, that could become an issue in the playoffs.
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However, when we're talking about MVP candidates and the regular season, everything he's doing individually and team-wise with such a young roster, especially considering the injuries, is remarkable and absolutely puts him in the "Top 5" MVP conversations this season.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 11, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
