Last week, reporters asked San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama in a post-match presser why he deserves to be the MVP this season. ‘The Alien’ responded in a nuanced five-minute speech, carefully detailing why he should win his maiden MVP title this year. Fans and the media praised his conviction, but a few individuals did not like his ‘politicking’.
One of them was former New York Knicks player Quentin Richardson. The 45-year-old featured on the latest segment of Andscape and was asked to give his two cents on Wemby’s post-game comments. Let’s just say, he did not hold back.
“I like everything about Wemby, but I didn’t like that. Big fella, your game is doing all the talking,” Richardson said on the show. “I don’t feel like he should have to go up there and politic to prove why he’s the MVP. Now, I also say he’s not the MVP this year. SGA is… My era wasn’t really like that. We wouldn’t go up there and say, ‘I should be MVP!’ We would be in the locker room, like what is he doing?”
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Victor Wembanyama made a case for himself, highlighting how defense is undervalued in the NBA. He also mentioned that the Spurs dominated Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s Oklahoma City Thunder throughout the season. Lastly, he asserted that his offensive style encompasses more than just scoring, citing rebounding, playmaking, and spacing as his defining traits.
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Despite this comprehensive argument, Richardson does not believe that the 22-year-old is deserving of the award, at least not at this point in his career.
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“I still don’t like that it felt like he’s trying to give his reasons why or persuade somebody why she should be MVP. I don’t think he should have to do that. I think his game is loud enough; everything he does is loud enough…I do believe that at some point, he’s going to be the MVP, but honestly, my opinion is that SGA is the MVP this year,” Richardson concluded.
Even Golden State Warriors vet Draymond Green took a sly dig at Wemby’s post-game statements, saying “I hated it…and I absolutely loved it.” But the injured Tyrese Haliburton sided with the European, adding, “If I was in his shoes, I’d do the same thing, I ain’t gonna lie.”
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Wemby, SGA, The Joker or Luka Doncic – Who will be crowned MVP?
A couple of months ago, the 2025-26 NBA MVP competition seemed like a one-horse race with SGA in prime position. But fast forward to March, and now it seems like we have a hotly-contested battle with multiple superstars gunning for glory. One player that has seen their stock (and odds) rise in recent weeks is Victor ‘The Alien’ Wembanyama. But another man hot on his trail is the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic.
The Lakers superstar is averaging 40+ points this month, catapulting his team to the third seed in the West. The 48-26 Lakers are 9-1 in their last 10 and seem to be quietly generating underdog narratives to upset San Antonio or OKC in the playoffs. As of now, the bookmakers have Doncic in third place behind SGA and Wemby, but this could change as we approach the last phase of the regular season.
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Meanwhile, Victor’s odds seem to be on the rise every week. There’s every sign that this race could go down to the wire as the top-three battle for bragging rights. Time will tell who comes out on top, but for neutral fans, this is a battle for the ages. So sit back, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the fireworks!