Spurs' Victor Wembanyama named 2025-26 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year
The 22-year-old Spurs superstar becomes the youngest Defensive Player of the Year in NBA history and the first unanimous winner.
www.nba.comThe latest NBA awards news is that the league has already announced the finalists for the major regular-season awards, and Victor Wembanyama has been named the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year. The remaining winners are being rolled out over April 22–24, with Most Improved Player set for April 24.[1][3][7]
What’s been announced
The finalists for the seven major awards were revealed on April 19, including MVP, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Clutch Player of the Year, and Sixth Man of the Year.[2][1] For MVP, the finalists are Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, and Victor Wembanyama.[9][2] Other finalist groups include Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson for DPOY, and Deni Avdija, Jalen Duren, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker for Most Improved Player.[2]
Latest winner
Wembanyama won Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the youngest winner in NBA history and the first unanimous selection.[7] That is the biggest confirmed awards headline so far this week.[7]
What’s next
The NBA’s current announcement schedule shows Sixth Man of the Year on April 22, Sportsmanship Award on April 23, and Most Improved Player on April 24.[3][10] The MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year winners are still part of the broader playoff awards rollout.[1][3]
Main storylines
The MVP race is centered on SGA, Jokić, and Wembanyama, which is one of the strongest finalist trios the league has had in years.[9] The other notable storyline is whether Ryan Rollins could gain momentum in the Most Improved Player conversation, although the official finalists listed by the league are Avdija, Duren, and Alexander-Walker.[2]