Victor Wembanyama’s recent injury scared everyone. After missing one game, he showed up on the court on Friday against the Dallas Mavericks. And with that, he hit the 64th mark, finishing with 40 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists on his return. However, his NBA Cup participation counts toward award eligibility. But what if he reached the 65-game threshold before?

“If I had 65 [games] before, I for sure wouldn’t have played,” Wemby told the media. Now, after locking in his eligibility, Wembanyama questioned the 65-game rule, even doing quick math with reporters and proposing 75% of the season—about 62 games—as a more reasonable benchmark.

“If a guy plays 50 games, 35 minutes a game, that’s 50 times 35 — that’s 1,750, right? Am I right?” the 22-year-old asked the media. “If a guy plays 75 games at 20 minutes, it’s 1,500. So it’s a good view, in my opinion, to not have a limit. It’s one opinion. Seventy-five percent of the games, in my opinion, would be a logical thing, and that would be 61.5 games, right? So, 62 games.”

 

The 65-game rule continues to draw heat from the NBA fans. Many believe that the league should re-evaluate the format. Meanwhile, reports say that Luka Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, is getting ready to file an “Extraordinary Circumstances Challenge.” A Grade 2 hamstring strain ruled the LA Lakers star out after he played 64 regular-season games.

However, the agent won’t be able to submit the challenge until after the regular season ends on April 12. But it might even push back the awards voting timeline a bit. Well, considering Victor Wembanyama’s speculation, the NBA might not offer an exception to any player who hasn’t reached the 65-game threshold. At the same time, it’s going to be difficult to predict the possibilities.

Now, coming back to Wemby. The San Antonio Spurs big man has positioned himself as one of the MVP candidates this season. At the same time, he is the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-NBA selection.

Victor Wembanyama gets emotional after Dallas matchup

“And if I’m here today, it’s because of all the people that have allowed me to work through this and get better and all the work we’ve put in all year long. I wouldn’t be able to do what I’ve done this season if I hadn’t worked so hard in December,” he added.

Amidst all the injury scares this season, the Alien will step into his first-ever postseason for the Spurs. The franchise has been putting every ounce of effort into keeping Wemby healthy and fit to have him on the court. “Tremendous amount of work,” he said. “Lots and lots of talks with the medical staff. Lots of figuring out the best plan. More, I would say, than any year in my career, mental work to be able to play through pain or discomfort, but we made it.”

Well, for now, it’s difficult to analyze what the league might have on its mind. Exception for blowout players or not. But one thing is for sure: Victor Wembanyama has crossed the mark, and he is ready for the awards. Not just the DPOY or MVP, but all the glistening Larry O’Brien trophy

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