NBA – Overwhelmingly, Rudy Gobert has topped the giant rankings, pushing Wembanyama down to this embarrassing position..

Much more comfortable in the game than last season, Rudy Gobert now has a huge impact on his Minnesota team.

Observers and bookmakers were not mistaken since the French star is already at the head of a big race for the end of the campaign… and we also find Victor Wembanyama in the peloton.

Last year, Rudy Gobert rarely went two games in a row without being lit up by Timberwolves fans or journalists.

Arriving with great fanfare from Jazz in an XXL trade, the three-time defender of the year had difficulty justifying the investment as well as his enormous contract ($205 million over five years).

Suffice to say that he had no choice but to bounce back in 2023-24.

The (very) good news is that this is precisely what the 2021 Olympic vice-champion is doing.

Less responsible in attack since Karl-Anthony Towns spends less time in the infirmary, he leaves it to the big man as well as Anthony Edwards to take care of the offensive game.

As a result, he still scores a little less than last year (12 points per game), but his defensive contribution has increased tenfold.

Minnesota in 2023-24 is the second best defense in the league with fewer than 106 points conceded per game.

And Gobert represents the keystone of this Wolves lock, he who is a hit in the numbers (11.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks on average) as well as in the dirty work.

A great individual production and an obvious impact on the collective, enough to make him favorite in the race for the DPOY:

Rudy Gobert big favorite in the DPOY race

According to Vegas, these players have the best odds of winning DPOY:

Rudy Gobert (+500)
Anthony Davis (+500)
Evan Mobley (+800)
Bam Adebayo (+1000)
Brook Lopez (+1000)
Jaren Jackson Jr. (+1100)
Victor Wembanyama (+1500)
Chet Holmgren (+2500)

Who do you think will be the DYOP? pic.twitter.com/0oFwrPASL8

— Settle the Debate! (@Settle__Debate) November 23, 2023

Currently, only Anthony Davis would be able to keep up with Frenchy according to Las Vegas punters.

Except that the Lakers only have the 11th best defense in the NBA and they also have a collective record lower than that of the Wolves, who are squarely first in the West.

Suffice to say that if this is confirmed in the months to come, even The Brown would have the greatest difficulty titillating Gobzilla.

Finally, we can also have a word for Victor Wembanyama, currently seventh in the bookmakers’ rankings.

The big concern for the French rookie is the catastrophic record of his Spurs who are in ten consecutive defeats while having one of the worst defenses of the moment (28th). On the other hand, his impact in his half is clearly felt because San Antonio is even more crumbly when he is not there.

Fingers crossed that Rudy Gobert continues to shine in defense, because he has the opportunity to make history this year.

Before him, only three other players had managed to become DPOY four times and he could therefore join Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace and Dwight Howard in the NBA record books.