NBA DPOY Award: 20YO Rookie Victor Wembanyama Making Final List Over Anthony Davis Has Fans Fuming

On Sunday evening, the NBA revealed the finalists for the 2023-24 season-long awards, and Anthony Davis has a repetition of fate. The Los Angeles Lakers big man was snubbed in the Defensive Player of the Year ranking as the league announced a final 3 within its 7 categories. Davis has been the most prominent defensive force for the Lakers, holding his own around the basket and often absorbing players that come through his backcourt teammates. In March, he logged 50+ minutes in an OT win over the Bucks, posting 34 points, 23 rebounds, and 4 blocks in LeBron James‘ absence, and was a driving factor in their late-season emergence.

Regardless, the NBA listed Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves), Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), and Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) as the finalists. Anthony Davis records 24.7 points and 12.6 rebounds (3rd best in the league) this season, while shooting 55.6% from the field and blocking 2.3 shots per game (3rd this season). Moreover, he has a direct impact on the Lakers’ ability to win, as his squad has suffered heavily mostly when AD has failed to put a decent start to a game.

Fans bash the award selection, after Anthony Davis’ omission deeming it ‘disrespect’

Fans who wanted Anthony Davis to win or appear higher for the season award did not shy away from voicing their concerns. With that, one fan put the Spurs’ 22-60 season run on display, questioning Wembanyama’s eligibility over Davis’.

The Brow’s defensive tenacity and versatility are a few of the main reasons behind LeBron James joining forces with him in 2019-20. However, Anthony Davis constantly sees an exit from the DPOY top spots and waits to lift the award even after 12 years in the league. Behind that, a netizen claimed that Davis is the most disrespected defensive player in the league’s history.

Another AD admirer resonated with the same take, with Davis abiding by CBA’s games-played rule and still being snubbed from the season-long award.

A fan argued against the notion of Davis being the most overrated player of the time, highlighting the discrepancy he often faces.

With that, another supporter mocked the authenticity of the season award, resonating that it fails to capture the players with true impact. The fan called all this “an absolute joke”.

Davis is unarguably the most impactful defensive player on the Lakers’ roster. The Lakers consistently demand more from Davis than what Wembanyama and Gobert’s team do, on both ends of the floor. Darwin Ham applauded, “his versatility to protect the rim, play in the in-between, show his hands, move his feet, guard out beyond the three-point line, not foul and to force guys into difficult situations,” right after mounting Davis high on the list of the best defensive player in January.

One way for Davis to fight the ongoing norms is by elevating his production in the highly-contested series against the Denver Nuggets. If the Lakers manage to win behind his positive impact, it will not only force the league to tip its hat to his performances but also diminish the possibility of his omission from the award in the coming years.