In his first season truly in the running, Victor Wembanyama lost the MVP race to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The official results won't be released until 7:00 PM EST on Sunday, but it appears that Shai Gilgheous-Alexander has won his second MVP award, beating out Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama.
For Wemby, this was only the second season that he was eligible for individual awards, and most fans and experts expect that the final tally will reveal a second-place finish.
His San Antonio Spurs improved to 62 wins and second place in the Western Conference this season after winning only 34 games the season prior. At only 22 years old, he is already the most game-breaking player in the league, and arguably the best talent in the world.
However, the Thunder found more team success, and SGA was wareded for it.
Wemby Falls Short in MVP Race
This season, Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks, all while expanding his offensive game. He finished as the first unanimous Defensive Player of the Year and will all but certainly make the All-NBA First Team.
Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, finished the season with averages of 31.1 points and 6.6 assists, all while leading by far the best team in the league. For parts of the season, the Thunder were chasing the Golden State Warriors' 73-win season from 2016, although four losses to the Spurs helped put a damper on their pursuit of history.
During the season, Wembanyama made it very clear that he wanted to win MVP. His teammates made it clear that they thought he deserved to win the MVP.
With the loss--or snub--expect Wembanyama to come out of the gates in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder are favored to win both the series and the first game, although Wembanyama is one of the league's most ruthless competitors. For him and the Spurs, coming up short in the MVP race is the ultimate bulletin board material.
While Wembanyma may have fallen short this season, expect him to be a favorite heading into next year. So far in his career, he's improved faster than anyone thought and has successfully lived up to the hype.
With a more experienced version of Wemby with a more experienced roster around him, the award is expected to be his for the taking for the next decade, barring any injuries.