Victor Wembanyama enters NBA Year 4 with an argument for the league’s two-biggest hardware paths

Victor Wembanyama’s Year 4 runway has started to look less like a continuation of a rookie-era spectacle and more like the opening chapter of a legitimate takeover. CBS Sports’ preview lays out the premise that the next stage of his development is where the hype has to translate into team impact and individual results, with enough two-way value to chase both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season.

The central idea is timing. When Wembanyama entered the league in 2023 as the No. 1 pick, expectations were already sky-high. But the argument for a “level up” in Year 4 hinges on how his game has been evolving into something harder to scheme against: defenders cannot simply drop to protect the rim, because his offensive skill set and spacing pressure can pull help defenders away from the paint, while his defensive presence can punish shots at the edge of his reach.

From a Spurs-building perspective, a player who can credibly affect both sides of the floor changes how the rest of a roster gets assembled. If Wembanyama’s offensive tools continue to expand beyond highlight reads into repeatable possessions, San Antonio’s half-court identity can be built around him, rather than feeding him as a secondary option. Meanwhile, if his defense sustains at an elite level, opponents are forced into more difficult shot selection, which can also create transition chances for teammates.

CBS Sports also points to the historical stakes of combining the two awards. MVP and Defensive Player of the Year have been linked to rare seasons from players who do more than fill a role. The implied standard for Wembanyama is not simply being good on defense and efficient on offense, but creating a season-long body of work where voters can justify valuing both impact types as equally central to the league’s best team basketball.

Still, the timeline matters. The NBA’s award races are rarely decided by raw trajectories alone, and Year 4 is only one step in a longer development arc for any young franchise cornerstone. Even if Wembanyama’s game continues to mature, the broader team context, opponent quality, and how consistently his impact shows up night after night will shape whether the MVP and DPOY conversations stay attached to his name.

What to watch next is how Wembanyama’s offensive progression looks under pressure, not just in isolated flashes. If he can turn perimeter-facing skills, passing reads, and shot creation into dependable scoring and shot-quality advantages, the argument for a true league-topping season strengthens quickly. On the defensive end, the question will be whether his rim protection and perimeter deterrence keep opponents from finding rhythm as the league adjusts, because that is where a DPOY case takes on durability.