Why Spurs Rookie Victor Wembanyama's 7 All-NBA Votes Mean More Than You Think

San Antonio Spurs standout Victor Wembanyama didn't quite do enough to earn an All-NBA selection this season, but his seven votes certainly serve as optimistic indicators of what he has left to bring to his team and to the league.

Nov 2, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Despite an impressive rookie campaign, the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot wunderkind, Victor Wembanyama, didn't quite do enough to become an All-NBA selection.

The league announced all three of its top squads Wednesday evening, which saw stars from across the league earn contract incentives of up to $41 million for making a top team and others barely miss the cut. Wembanyama wasn't quite in the latter category, as his point total wasn't close to making the third team, but it's worth noting that he earned votes at all.

Wembanyama finished with 11 total points. He was given five third-team votes and two second-team votes to put him in a tie with New Orleans' Zion Williamson and just behind Minnesota's Rudy Gobert in the final standings.

Well, San Antonio #Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama made a ton of noise this season, but not enough to crack any of the #NBA’s three top squads.

Wembanyama did receive two second-team votes and five third-team votes, however. He is the only Spur with any representation.

Safe to…

— Matt Guzman (@mattgzman) May 23, 2024

The 20-year-old averaged 21.4 points per game, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 4.8 stocks on near-50-percent shooting from the floor. He not only led the way for his Spurs, but he made waves across the league, earning compliments from various stars, including two on the All-NBA First Team.

He's playing hard and he wants to be good," Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic said of Wembanyama after his first matchup against him. "He's going to change the game, 100 percent. He's already on that path, so for all of the guys just enjoy and watch the show and let the guy change the game."

Milwaukee Bucks 7-footer Giannis Antetokounmpo concurred.

"He’s special," the Bucks star said. "He’s got to stay healthy. ... seeing him play against NBA players and doing the things that he’s doing, it’s pretty amazing. ... Everything that he dreams of is going to happen for him."

Jan 4, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots over San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Wembanyama proved himself to be a superstar during his first season. He met Antetokounmpo at the rim in a way nobody quite had before. He led the NBA's youngest team to a playoff-altering win over Jokic's Nuggets, landed a signature shoe with Nike, a nod from LeBron James as an alien and more.

The Frenchman entered the NBA with expectations beyond what any No. 1 overall pick — besides James himself — had experienced, yet still exceeded them. He proved what he was capable of on the court while simultaneously maintaining an impressive off-court presence.

That's just what made Wembanyama special.

Votes and distinctions aren't everything — Wembanyama himself said they don't define his effort, as he'll receive "what he deserves" at the end of the day — but for the Spurs, Wembanyama's seven votes are optimisitc indicators of what's to come.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich even said so himself.

"The fact that he learns so quickly and carries things over from a practice to a game ... (means) he's going to continue to be an awesome figure on the court," the veteran coach said, bestowing a compliment of the highest order to his rookie in the process.

Mar 27, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and head coach Gregg Popovich speak during a break in action against the Utah Jazz during the third quarter at Delta Center. / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Being an awesome figure can look different for every player. For someone like James, it means performing at an elite level years after that was no longer expected. For Antetokounmpo, it looks like playing with a level of aggression unable to be slowed down by the league's best defenders.

For Wembanyama, it looks like showing the NBA world something it hasn't seen everytime he steps on the court. Shammgods, step-back 3-pointers and lobs from the free throw lines are all examples of that, yet, the rookie still likely has more to display.

“I think in terms of development from my first game to my prime, I am at 15 percent of my capabilities,” Wembanyama told media just a few weeks after his rookie season had concluded. "Ultimately, everything is a result of your own work and your mentality. ... (And) I always want more."

So, Wembanyama isn't an All-NBA player. He wasn't an All-Star, nor was he the Defensive Player of the Year. To some, that looks like a whole lot of "not good enough," but that's entirely the point.

If this were a third or fourth year veteran who promised to be a franchise-altering talent, it would be. But this is a 20-year-old rookie. He's the only player in NBA history to average 20 points, 10 boards, three assists, three blocks, one steal and one 3-pointer per game. He's the youngest player to be selected to an All-Defensive team and is far ahead of his time to be earning All-NBA votes.

The Spurs know what they have in Wembanyama. Whatever improving looks like this offseason, they'll do so with his playstyle in mind. San Antonio loves Wembanyama as much as he loves it, and that's only been proven more over time.

So, where does that put the Spurs?

Well, they have a long way to go.

Apr 12, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Davonte' Graham (4) is surrounded by teammates after a victory over the Denver Nuggets at Frost Bank Center. / Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports

Players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson and even Jeremy Sochan have plenty to bring to the table as they continue to grow. Guys lilke Cedi Osman and Zach Collins may need to settle into their roles a little more, but they have the potential to be part of a strong supporting cast down the road — not to mention the two top-10 picks San Antonio currently possesses.

Building a potential "superpower" around Wembanyama won't happen in one day or one offseason. The Spurs have made it clear they prefer the patient approach to improvement, and while that isn't everyone's favorite solution, it's worked in the past.

Wembanyama is already a proven success, and his career trajectory only gets more promising every time he hits a milestone "for the first time since Tim Duncan" or joins a club David Robinson has already punched his ticket to.

He's his own player, yes, but considering all of the pressure he faced was based on comparisons to San Antonio's past two No. 1 picks, achieving what they did is always a plus.

For the record, both of them earned a spot on one of the three All-NBA squads, so Wembanyama still has something to chase. He knows that. His seven votes — though they mean quite a lot — are an indicator of that.

But he's not done improving. Not even close.

"I am young," Wembanyama said midway through last season. "I'm getting better every day, and I think we could say that for every month to the next one. The good thing is my margin of progression is that I don’t even know how big it is.

"I can get so much better."