Nikola Jokic snatched the top spot as the NBA’s best player over Victor Wembanyama in ESPN’s NBA Rank 2026, and an anonymous general manager just laid out exactly why, pointing directly to Wemby’s ‘young mistakes’ in the playoffs. This isn’t just about raw talent, it’s about making your whole squad click, and that GM dropped some truth bombs to ESPN’s Ben Golliver, saying, “Jokić makes his whole team better than anyone else. If you gave him and Wemby the same teammates, Denver would be better. Wemby being young doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that he made young mistakes in the playoffs.”
Jokic’s Reign Continues at the Top
It’s clear that in the eyes of this GM, and the folks at ESPN who ranked him number one for the third year running, Jokic is still the king. The dude is 31, a three-time NBA MVP, and he’s even finished second in MVP voting three times, including last season. Let’s not forget he was the NBA Finals MVP when the Nuggets grabbed their first championship back in 2023. His production? Totally bonkers. Jokic averaged a triple-double for the second season in a row during 2025-26, putting up a ridiculous 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game. He just does it all, making everyone around him look better, exactly what that GM said.
Wemby’s Rise Hits a Playoff Snag
Now, Wemby is no slouch, obviously. He jumped from No. 5 to No. 2 in the NBA Rank, which is absolutely insane for a guy who’s still only 22. The 7’4″ Frenchman was third in MVP voting last season and snagged NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He was integral to the Spurs making the NBA Finals, averaging 25.0 points, 11.5 boards, 3.1 assists, 3.1 blocks, and a steal per game in the regular season. But here’s where that GM’s comment comes into play: Wemby’s playoff numbers took a hit. His points dipped to 23.8, rebounds to 10.9, and assists to 2.7. Plus, his shooting fell from 51.2 percent in the regular season to 48.5 percent in the playoffs. Sure, it was his first playoff run ever, and you gotta expect some growing pains, but those “mistakes” were enough for a respected exec to hold him back from the top spot.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who’s got back-to-back NBA MVP awards himself, landed at No. 3, showing just how stacked the league’s top tier is. For now, the popular opinion leans Jokic. But with Wemby’s first playoff experience under his belt, and the gap between him and Jokic “appearing to be closing,” you know he’s gonna be working to clean up those “mistakes” next time out. We’re all watching to see what this young star does next season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
Leave a Reply