Victor Wembanyama breaks down 65-game debate, and does the math

Victor Wembanyama is putting up big numbers. He is also doing the math.

The Spurs star reached the NBA’s 65-game threshold for awards eligibility in Friday’s 139-120 win over the Mavericks, finishing with 40 points and 13 rebounds in his fifth 40-point game of the season.

That performance officially puts Wembanyama in the mix for end-of-season honors, including MVP.

Wembanyama nearly didn’t get there. He had been dealing with a rib injury and admitted he likely would have sat out Friday if he had already qualified.

Instead, he played. And then he started thinking.

Asked about the league’s 65-game rule, Wembanyama offered a balanced take, noting that while a threshold makes sense, it doesn’t always reflect a player’s true impact.

“If those three aren’t — I mean, especially (Cade Cunningham) and (Luka Doncic) — in the end-of-season awards, for sure it’s not going to reflect their impact on the season,” he said. “But, at the same time, in my opinion, it’s good to have a threshold.”

Then came the interesting part.

Wembanyama began working through different scenarios out loud, comparing total minutes played rather than just games. A player appearing in 50 games at heavy minutes, he noted, could still log more total time than someone playing 75 games in a smaller role.

“If a guy plays 50 games, 35 minutes a game, that’s 1,750 [minutes], right?” Wembanyama said. “If a guy plays 75 games at 20 minutes, it’s 1,500.”

He eventually landed on a different idea.

“Seventy-five percent of the games, in my opinion, would be a logical thing,” he said. “That would be 61.5 games, right? So, 62 games.”

The numbers checked out. The bigger point did, too.

Wembanyama acknowledged the rule likely won’t change this season, even if it sparks debate. Either way, he’s just glad to be eligible.

And based on how he’s played, very much in the conversation.