The NBA announced its NBA All-Defensive First Team selections on Tuesday, and rookie Victor Wembaneyama made history with his selection to the team.
The San Antonio Spurs forward is the first rookie in NBA history to be drafted to the first team. Five other rookies have been named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team so far, but Wenbanyama made the jump to the first team.
Wembaneyama is in good company, as are five other former rookies: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon, Manute Bol, David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Robinson and Duncan were also Spurs players when they were named to the second team.
San Antonio's Victor Wenbanyama was named to the Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team for the first time as a rookie. The NBA has named an All-Defensive Team (First Team and Second Team) every year since the 1968-69 season.
Wenbanyama becomes the sixth rookie to qualify for the Kia NBA… pic.twitter.com/GnP8DcQ1zD
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was also one of the players selected to the first team unanimously this season. Wenbanyama received the second-most first-place votes. The other three players selected this season were Anthony Davis of the Los Angeles Lakers, Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat and Herb Jones of the New Orleans Pelicans.
2023-24 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team:
▪️Bam Adebayo @Miami Heat
▪️Anthony Davis @Lakers
▪️Rudy Gobert @Timberwolves
▪️Herb Jones @PelicansNBA
▪️Victor Wenbanyama @spurs pic.twitter.com/Ye6oB0T5VV— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 21, 2024
Wenbanyama was named Rookie of the Year and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game in his first NBA season.
