Unsurprisingly, two French players are nominated to win individual awards this season in the NBA. Rudy Gobert, 31-year-old center of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Victor Wembanyama, 20-year-old center of the San Antonio Spurs, are among the three finalists to win the title of best defender of the season. The trio is rounded out by Miami Heat inside Bam Adebayo.
Even though he finished as the best blocker in the regular season (3.6 blocks per game on average), Victor Wembanyama is not the favorite to obtain this award. The Frenchman is part of a poorly ranked team (14th in the Western Conference) and weak defensively.
Conversely, Rudy Gobert is the defensive leader of the Wolves, the strongest team in the American League and third in the Western Conference. If he was voted best defender of the season, he would obtain this award for the fourth time in his career, after 2018, 2019 and 2021. The interior would then equal the record co-held by Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.
Victor Wembanyama should win the trophy for best rookie of the season. The San Antonio Spurs player is the big favorite to obtain this distinction. His competitors are Oklahoma interior Chet Holmgren and Charlotte wing Brandon Miller.
The title of MVP, that of best player of the regular season, will be contested between Nikola Jokic, the Serbian pivot from Denver, already crowned in 2021 and 2022, Luka Doncic, the Slovenian leader from Dallas, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the leader Canadian from Oklahoma, which means that the most prestigious trophy will elude an American player.
The list of finalists:
Best player: Luka Doncic (Dallas), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City), Nikola Jokic (Denver).
Best defender: Bam Adebayo (Miami), Rudy Gobert (Minnesota), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio).
Meilleure progression : Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphie), Alperen Sengun (Houston), Coby White (Chicago).
Best rookie: Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City), Brandon Miller (Charlotte), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio).
Best sixth man: Malik Monk (Sacramento), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee), Naz Reid (Minnesota).
Best coach: Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City), Chris Finch (Minnesota), Jamahl Mosley (Orlando).
Joueur le plus clutch (décisif) : Stephen Curry (Golden State), DeMar DeRozan (Chicago), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City).
