San Antonio Spurs rookie forward/center Victor Wembanyama is still the NBA’s leader this season in blocks (252) and blocks per game (3.6) through 70 games (all starts).
The 7-foot-4 big man is also averaging 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 29.6 minutes per game while shooting 46.5% from the field, 32.6% from 3-point range, and 79.7% at the foul line.
Per multiple NBA betting sites, Wembanyama remains the clear-cut favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Sportsbooks show Chet Holmgren and Brandon Miller in the top three.
Games with 5+ blocks this season:
Victor Wembanyama- 24
Rudy Gobert – 3 pic.twitter.com/TuZompVXH8— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) April 10, 2024
Holmgren is a distant second in blocks with 184, followed by Brook Lopez (181), Anthony Davis (176), Walker Kessler (154), Rudy Gobert (151), Daniel Gafford (147), and Nic Claxton (139).
Lopez, Kessler, Davis, and Holmgren are all tied for second with 2.4 blocks per game. Kessler is the only player close to Wembanyama’s block percentage (10%) at 9.2%.
Furthermore, Wembanyama has the 10th most blocks in a single NBA season since 1999-00.
Theo Ratliff owns the all-time record with 307 blocks in 2003-04, followed by Marcus Camby (285 in 2007-08), Ben Wallace (278 in 2001-02), Hassan Whiteside (269 in 2015-16), Ratliff again (262 in 2002-03), Wallace again (246 in 2003-04), Serge Ibaka (242 in 2012-13), Ibaka again (241 in 2011-12), and Tim Duncan (237 in 2002-03).
Victor Wembanyama has 24 games with five or more blocks, the most by an NBA player before age 21
In San Antonio’s 122-99 win over the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 12, he became the fifth NBA player since 1990 to post a triple-double of at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 blocks in a single game.
His 10 blocks against Toronto are still a career high. The rookie sensation also finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and seven blocks against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
It was his 24th game with five or more blocks, the most by an NBA player before age 21. Shaquille O’Neal ranks second on the all-time list with 19 games, followed by Anthony Davis (14), Josh Smith (13), and Kevin Garnett (10).
Victor Wembanyama in April so far:
22.8 PPG
13.0 RPG
7.3 APG
6.5 BPGNearly 3x as many BPG as the DPOY favorite Rudy Gobert (2.2). pic.twitter.com/mStt215Nc2
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) April 10, 2024
Additionally, in San Antonio’s 130-126 overtime win against the New York Knicks on March 29, he recorded career highs of 40 points and 20 rebounds in 37 minutes of action.
Wembanyama, 20, ranks 10th in the NBA in total rebounds (736) this season, seventh in defensive rebounds (577), 19th in steals (87), 10th in player efficiency rating (23.1), and sixth in defensive win shares (4.2).
San Antonio’s No. 1 overall pick from last year’s draft is also 12th in box plus/minus (5.2), third in defensive box plus/minus (3.2), second in defensive rating (107.8), sixth in usage percentage (32.3%), and third in defensive rebound percentage (33%).
