If you didn’t get it or didn’t believe it at first, the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 3 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves confirmed that Victor Wembanyama is the scariest player in the NBA, and the rest of the Western Conference players should be terrified.
Beyond his 7 foot 4 inches height – which can actually be misleading – Vembanyama is not a scary looking athlete, as he weighs only 234 pounds on his massive body. For old-school fans, he physically reminds them of frustrating, weak big men like Manute Bol and Shawn Bradley. Yet, through his first three seasons, he continues to prove that he is the league’s real unicorn, not Kristaps Porzingis.
Over the course of the season, he emerged as a top-10 talent and a legitimate MVP candidate, leading his 62-win Spurs team in scoring (25.0), rebounds (11.5), and blocks (3.1) in just 29 minutes per night. Although he did not win MVP, he earned Defensive Player of the Year honors and tied the game during the regular season. Still, the talented 22-year-old hasn’t progressed to new levels as if the NBA is his own personal video game.
Victor Wembanyama becomes the NBA’s scariest star during the 2026 playoffs
In case you haven’t noticed, Wembanyama has put himself in some elite company during this year’s playoffs. But especially in the Spurs’ ongoing series against the Timberwolves, he has been absolutely terrible. In Game 1, he made NBA history by becoming the first player to post 12 blocks in a playoff game. However, they were on the wrong end of a 104–102 loss at home. This obviously enraged the French.
In Game 2, he scored 19 points and posted 15 boards in a dominant 133–95 victory. Still, it was just an appetite for what he’ll do Friday night in Game 3. In the Spurs’ 115–108 win, the teen barely had 39 points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks. But these aren’t the best numbers as he somehow shot an absurd 72.2% from the field while hoisting five three-pointers.
On Friday, he became the first player since LeBron James in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals to have 35 or more points, 15 boards and shoot at least 70% in a playoff game. He is now the fourth player in NBA history to have 35 or more points, 15 rebounds and 5 blocks in a playoff game. The basketball icon is joining Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Vembanyama is not just a talented scorer in the NBA. There’s a bunch of them in the league. But because he’s 7-foot-4, when he’s on, he can’t be guarded. However, although he can be a complete problem on offense, he is the best defensive player in the game at the moment. Sending fear into any man who dares to drive in the lane. That’s why, at just 22 years old, the French phenom is officially the NBA’s scariest player.
What’s worse for the league’s teams is that they are loving every minute of it. “I’ve really been looking forward to living those moments, those high-stakes games, since I’ve been in the league. That’s what I love. That’s what I’m made for. I love it more than anything else,” he said Friday night.
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