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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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On Thursday night, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama delivered another elite performance, dropping 34 points and 12 rebounds while drilling a cold-blooded, game-winning jumper with 1.1 seconds left to stun the Phoenix Suns, 101–100.
It was another statement game for a player many already view as the new face of the NBA.
Minutes after the buzzer, teammate De'Aaron Fox took it a step further, publicly making the case for why Wembanyama deserves to be league MVP.
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"He's playing at an MVP-type level. It's hard to deny when he's doing what he's doing on both ends of the court. And he's leading us night in and night out to win. He deserves it. He deserves his flowers," Fox said.
"He's been our guy on and off the court, and I'll be the one to go out there and speak out and say what needs to be said, and that's what needs to be said. Victor Wembanyama, MVP."
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Through the 2025–26 season, Wembanyama has been putting up numbers that feel borderline fictional.
Across 55 games, he’s averaging 24.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, and a league-leading 3 blocks per game, while shooting 50.6% from the field and 35.7% from deep.
And that barely scratches the surface.
He was a 2026 All-Star starter, his second consecutive selection and first as a starter, while also earning Western Conference Player of the Month honors in February and back-to-back Defensive Player of the Month awards in January and February.
More importantly, he’s become the anchor of one of the league’s most improved teams.
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Wembanyama’s latest masterpiece clinched the Spurs’ first playoff berth since 2019 and pushed them to an elite 52–18 record — the second-best mark in the NBA.
Up to this point, the MVP race has largely centered around names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Luka Doncic, but Wembanyama’s surge, combined with team success, is forcing a late-season recalibration.
Two years ago, the Spurs were a 22-win team. Last season, they won just 34 games. Now?
They’re a legitimate Western Conference threat, riding a stretch of 20 wins in their last 22 games and locking up a playoff spot.
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