Draymond Green is reversing his stance. The Golden State Warriors forward previously stated last month that he didn’t think the San Antonio Spurs rookie phenomenon deserved the Defensive Player of the Year title. However, on Wednesday, he had a change of heart.

Last year, Green’s primary argument was that, despite Wembanyama’s remarkable statistics, he remained unconvinced that the award should be given to “someone who’s part of the 24th-ranked defense in the league.” However, Green’s perspective may have shifted after witnessing Wembanyama’s exceptional performance, particularly his 15 rebounds and nine blocks against the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday evening.

The highly anticipated Rookie of the Year even managed to block two-time MVP Nikola Jokić on multiple occasions, prompting Jokić to seemingly gesture in disbelief.

Throughout the season, Wemby has been maintaining an impressive average of 3.5 blocks per game. This statistic not only leads the NBA for the current season but would have also topped the league in every season dating back to the 2015-16 campaign, when Hassan Whiteside recorded 3.7 blocks per game. Indeed, Wemby’s performance this season is exceptional, so much so that even Green is revising his viewpoint.

In his rookie season, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama has rapidly emerged as one of the NBA’s most prominent phenoms. His remarkable skills on the court have caught the attention of fellow NBA stars, including Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green. The outspoken Warriors player has gone as far as suggesting that the 7’4″ Frenchman could contend for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award in his debut season. “Wemby is definitely the Defensive Player of the Year,” Green said on his podcast, The Draymond Green Show. “The way he impacts the game, both on the defensive end, whether it’s off the ball, on the ball. You drive into the lane to get a layup and you see Wemby, you just go the other way. That’s a blocked shot. … I don’t know what lab he was created in, but I need to go create me a son in that lab because dude is unbelievable.”

Green emphasized that the team’s performance does factor into the determination of the Defensive Player of the Year. As of Wednesday’s games, the Spurs hold the lowest position in the Western Conference with an 18–58 record.

Should Wembanyama be honored as the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2023–24 season, he would make history as the first rookie to achieve this feat. Additionally, at just 20 years old, Wembanyama would also become the youngest player ever to receive the award.