San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama added to an historic rookie campaign on Tuesday after the No. 1 pick was voted to the NBA All-Defensive first team.
Wembanyama, who finished as the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year, became the first rookie in history to be selected to the All-Defensive first team. He is one of six first-year players to earn a placement on the All-Defensive teams and the first since Tim Duncan in 1998.
The 7-footer earned 86 of a possible 99 first-team votes from a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to finish second behind Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Robert, who was the Defensive Player of the Year.
The complete voting results for the 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive Team: pic.twitter.com/k3FODNJ0YU
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals in 71 games. He led the league in blocked shots and registered the most 30-point games (11) by a rookie since Trae Young in the 2018-19 season.
The Frenchman is the second rookie to lead the league in blocks (Manute Bol, 1986). He ranked second in defensive box plus-minus (plus-3.3), fifth in defensive win shares (4.4) and eighth in rebounds. He also had the most games with at least five blocks (24).
Wembanyama was the Rookie of the Year, becoming the sixth player to win the award unanimously and the first since Karl-Anthony Towns in 2016. He was also a unanimous selection to the All-Rookie first team, announced on Monday.
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