Victor Wembanyama’s rise in the eyes of experts outside of San Antonio continues. The Spurs’ big man finished second, behind only Nikola Jokic, in ESPN’s 2026 NBA player rankings.
Wemby was ranked fifth in the 2025 edition, but his great season, which included a unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award and a trip to the Finals, propelled him past Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
It’s not a surprise to see Wembanyama at the top of most player rankings. What’s unexpected about the ESPN ranking is that it has Jokic at the top while the two-time MVP is third. The Ringer also has Wemby second, but Gilgeous-Alexander sits at the top, for example. The panel of Ben Golliver, Vincent Goodwill, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks, Dave McMenamin, André Snellings and Matt “Stats” Williams is projecting more growth from Wembanyama, which could explain why he’s ranked over SGA:
“The Alien” continues to ace the eye test and advanced stats alike, and he boosted his scoring efficiency in 2025-26 by cutting back on his 3-point attempts in favor of paint opportunities. After leading the league in blocks and defensive win shares during the regular season, Wembanyama posted an excellent plus-12.9 net rating during his first playoff run. What’s scarier for opponents: his 7-4 (7-5? 7-6?) frame or his rapid rate of improvement?
While the top of ESPN’s ranking isn’t necessarily controversial since the vast majority of people would have Jokic, Wembanyama and Gilgeous-Alexander in some order, there were some odd choices made in the lower ranks. As we mentioned, Devin Vassell didn’t crack the top 100 and didn’t even get a special mention, which seems like an oversight. The other three Spurs who made the cut were Dylan Harper, ranked 50th, De’Aaron Fox, 43rd, and Stephon Castle, 38th.
If the 2026/27 season goes as expected, it wouldn’t be surprising for Wembanyama to claim the top spot in the ranking next season.
Read the full article here