San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wenbanyama's seven All-NBA votes mean more than you might think

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Despite an impressive rookie season, Victor Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot wunderkind, wasn't good enough to be named All-NBA.

The league announced all three of its top teams Wednesday night, with stars from around the league earning up to $41 million in contract incentives for joining the first team, and others narrowly missing out on a spot. Wenbanyama did not belong completely to the latter category, as his total points could not come close to the third team, but it is worth noting that he received votes.

Wenbanyama finished with a total of 11 points. He received five third-team votes and two second-team votes, tying him with New Orleans' Zion Williamson and just behind Minnesota's Rudy Gobert for the final spot.

The 20-year-old averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.8 poker per game while shooting nearly 50 percent from the field. He not only led the Spurs, but shocked the entire league, drawing praise from a variety of stars, including two All-NBA first-teamers.

“He plays hard and he wants to play well,” Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic said after his first matchup with Wenbayama. “He's going to change the game, 100 percent. He's already got a foot in the door, so all you guys have to do is enjoy the game and let him change the game.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' 7-footer, agreed.

“He's special,” the Bucks star said. “He's got to stay healthy. … Seeing what he's doing, playing against NBA players, it's pretty amazing. … Everything he dreams of It happens for him.”

Wenbanyama proved he was a superstar in his first season. He faced Antetokounmpo at the rim like no one else had done before. He led the NBA's youngest team to a game-changing playoff win over Jokic's Nuggets, signed a signature shoe with Nike, paid tribute to LeBron James as the alien, and much more.

The Frenchman entered the NBA with more expectations than any No. 1 overall pick other than James himself has ever experienced, and yet he exceeded them, proving his ability on the court while also maintaining an impressive presence off it.

That is what makes Wenbanyama so special.

It's not all about the votes and accolades – Wenbanyama himself said they don't represent his efforts and that he will ultimately get “what he deserves” – but for Spurs, Wenbanyama's seven votes are a positive indicator of things to come.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich himself says so.

“The fact that he's a very quick learner and brings things from practice into the game means he continues to be a great person on the court,” the veteran coach said, paying the highest praise to his rookie along the way.

Being a great player means different things to each player. For a player like James, it means performing at a top level years after the expectations are no longer high. For Antetokounmpo, that means playing with a level of aggression that even the best defenders in the league can't contain.

Every time Wembanyama steps on the court, he seems to show the NBA world something they've never seen before — the shambolic, step-back three-point shot and lob shots from the free throw line are all examples — but it seems the rookie still has a lot to show.

“In terms of my development from my first game to my prime, I feel like I'm only performing at 15 percent of my potential,” Wenbanyama told media just a few weeks after the end of his rookie season. “At the end of the day, it all comes down to my hard work and mentality. … (And) I'm always striving to be better.”

In other words, Wenbanyama is not an All-NBA player. He wasn't an All-Star or Defensive Player of the Year. To some, that may seem like “not enough” at all, but that's totally the point.

If this were a third- or fourth-year veteran with promise of franchise-altering talent, that's what would happen. But this is a 20-year-old rookie. He is the only player in NBA history to average 20 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, 1 steal, and 1 3-pointer per game. He is the youngest player to be named to the All-Defensive Team and is ahead of his time enough to earn All-NBA votes.

Spurs know what they have in Wembanyama. Whatever progress they make this offseason, they will do so with his style of play in mind. San Antonio loves Wembanyama, and as much as they love him, that has been proven even more as time goes on.

So what happens to the Spurs?

Well, they have a long way to go.

Guys like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and even Jeremy Sochan have plenty of room to flourish as they continue to develop, and guys like Cedi Osman and Zach Collins may need to get a little more comfortable in their roles, but they have the potential to be part of a strong supporting cast down the line, not to mention San Antonio's two current top-10 picks.

Building a potential “superpower” around Wenbanyama isn't something that's going to happen in a day or one offseason. The Spurs have made it clear that they prefer a patient approach to improvement, and while it's not everyone's favorite solution, it's worked in the past.

Wembanyama is already a proven success and every time he reaches a milestone “be the first since Tim Duncan” or joins a club where David Robinson has already punched his ticket, his career trajectory only becomes more promising.

Sure, he's his own player, but considering all the pressure he faced was based on comparisons to San Antonio's last two No. 1 picks, it's hard to achieve what they've accomplished. is always a plus.

For the record, Wembaneyama still has something to chase, as both earned a spot on one of three All-NBA teams. he knows it. His seven votes are indicative, although they mean a lot. of that.

But his improvement isn't finished yet. Not even close.

“I'm still young,” Wembanyama said midway through last season. “I'm getting better every day, and I think I can say that month after month. The good thing is that you never know how much progress you're making.”

“I can be better.”