Matt Barnes Believes Spurs' Victor Wembanyama Can Win MVP and DPOY

Barnes sees Wembanyama following in Michael Jordan's footsteps with rare dual award win.

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:39pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movements and defensive impact of a basketball player, conveying the multifaceted talent and two-way prowess of Victor Wembanyama.Wembanyama's rare two-way dominance puts him in elite company for MVP and DPOY honors.Denver Today

NBA analyst Matt Barnes believes San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is a leading candidate to win both the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) awards this season. Barnes compared Wembanyama's two-way impact to Michael Jordan's historic 1987-88 season when he became the only player to win both honors in the same year.

Why it matters

Wembanyama's potential to achieve the rare MVP and DPOY double would cement his status as one of the league's most dominant two-way players at just 24 years old. If he can pull it off, Wembanyama would join an exclusive club that includes only Giannis Antetokounmpo (2019-20) in the modern NBA era.

The details

Through 65 games, Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. His defensive impact has been a major factor in the Spurs' success this season, putting him firmly in the DPOY conversation. Barnes believes Wembanyama's two-way dominance gives him an edge over other MVP candidates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, who excel on one end of the floor.

  • On April 11, 2026, Wembanyama scored 40 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, dished 5 assists, and blocked 2 shots in the Spurs' 139-120 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
  • Wembanyama hit the 65-game threshold to qualify for end-of-season awards like MVP and DPOY.

The players

Victor Wembanyama

A 24-year-old star player for the San Antonio Spurs who is a leading candidate for both the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) awards this season.

Matt Barnes

A former NBA player and current analyst who believes Wembanyama can follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan by winning both the MVP and DPOY awards in the same season.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

A star player for the Oklahoma City Thunder who is also in the MVP conversation this season.

Nikola Jokic

A star player for the Denver Nuggets who is also in the MVP conversation this season.

Luka Doncic

A star player for the Los Angeles Lakers who would have been in the MVP conversation but did not meet the game-minimum to qualify.

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What they’re saying

“One person I want to point out, and I don't know. Obviously, he's in the conversation, but it's Wemby at 24 and 11, but also the defensive impact. You can talk about SGA, you could talk about Luka, incredible, but they don't have the defensive impact. I think Wemby will be the next guy that did what Jordan did in what 88 or 8988 season...Defensive Player of the Year and MVP.”

— Matt Barnes, NBA Analyst

What’s next

The NBA will announce the winners of the MVP and DPOY awards in the coming weeks, with Wembanyama considered a leading contender for both honors.

The takeaway

Victor Wembanyama's dominant two-way performance this season has him in the rare position of potentially becoming the first player since Michael Jordan in 1987-88 to win both the NBA MVP and DPOY awards in the same year. If he can pull it off, it would cement Wembanyama's status as one of the league's most complete and impactful players at just 24 years old.