Draymond's Double Take: Why Wemby's MVP Talk Had Green Grinning and Grumbling
Draymond Green lives for this stuff. He really does. When Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 rookie phenom, dropped the bombshell that he sees himself as an MVP front-runner, you could practically hear Green cackling from his podcast studio. It’s exactly the kind of audacious, self-assured declaration Green made his career on. Remember when Green said the Warriors were going to win a championship before they even made the Finals? Or when he guaranteed a Game 7 victory in 2016? That's the stuff that fuels him.
And let's be real, Wemby isn't just talking. The kid's got the numbers to back up a lot of his swagger, even if the Spurs don't. He finished his rookie season averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 3.6 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game. Those block numbers? Absolutely insane. He led the league in blocks, swatting away more shots than Rudy Gobert (2.1 BPG) or Anthony Davis (2.3 BPG). He even posted a ridiculous 5x5 game against the Lakers on February 23, with 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks – the youngest player in NBA history to do it. That’s why Green loves it. It's the "I'm here, and I'm the best" mentality that Green respects above almost everything else in basketball.
The "Hate" Part: A Lesson in Team Success
Here's the thing, though. Green also knows the dirty secret of individual awards in a team sport: you gotta win. And the Spurs, bless their hearts, did not do much of that in 2023-24. San Antonio finished the season with a dismal 22-60 record, good for 14th in the Western Conference. No MVP has ever come from a team with a record that bad. Nikola Jokic won his first MVP in 2021 with the Nuggets finishing 47-25. Joel Embiid's MVP season in 2023 saw the Sixers go 54-28. Even Russell Westbrook's historic triple-double MVP season in 2017 had the Thunder at 47-35.
Green, the ultimate team-first guy, even if he often expresses it in the most individualistic ways, understands this fundamental truth. He’s been part of four championship teams with the Warriors. He knows that individual brilliance, while impressive, needs to translate into collective success for the ultimate recognition. You can put up monster stats, but if your team is losing by 20 on a Tuesday night in January, that MVP conversation fades fast. It's why he probably shook his head a little, too. It’s not enough to be great; you have to make *your team* great. Wemby, for all his otherworldly talent, hasn't quite pulled the Spurs out of the basement yet.
The Draymond Standard: More Than Just Numbers
Look, Green's own career is a masterclass in impact beyond the box score. He's never led the league in scoring or even come close. His best scoring season was 14.0 PPG in 2015-16. But he's a four-time champion, an eight-time All-Defensive selection, and a Defensive Player of the Year. He earned those accolades by fundamentally changing the game for the Warriors, by being the emotional leader, the defensive anchor, and the primary playmaker from the high post. He knows that MVP isn't just about raw points and rebounds; it's about elevating your entire squad.
Wemby’s comments are classic rookie bravado, and it's a breath of fresh air. It’s what makes him compelling. But Green, the grizzled veteran who's seen it all, knows that true MVP status requires more than just individual dominance. It demands wins, playoff berths, and a tangible impact on your team's standing. My hot take? Wemby will win an MVP, maybe even two, but it won't be until the Spurs are consistently a top-four seed in the West.