NBA’s 65-Game Rule Robs Wembanyama of All-Defensive Honors — A Generational Talent Left in the Shadows
The NBA announced its All-Defensive Teams yesterday, and unsurprisingly, Victor Wembanyama’s name was missing. Not because he wasn’t deserving—far from it—but because he didn’t meet the league’s 65-game minimum requirement for award eligibility. This rule, while designed to encourage availability, was never meant to penalize players like Wembanyama—those who live and breathe the game and would play every night if they could.
Wembanyama’s absence wasn’t due to rest or load management. He missed time because of a diagnosed blood clot—an issue far beyond his control and certainly not one that could be played through. Yet, the rule doesn’t allow for that kind of nuance. While we should applaud the defenders who earned their spots, it’s jarring not to see Wembanyama listed among them. He was clearly one of the league’s top defensive forces this season, and his exclusion raises serious questions about the fairness of the current criteria.
This isn’t the first season under the new rule, but it’s the first time it’s punished a generational talent for circumstances entirely out of his hands. If the NBA is truly about recognizing excellence, then the rule must evolve to reflect both context and common sense.
