Victor Wembanyama, Cade Cunningham Named Players Of The Week

A pair of former No. 1 overall picks have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week. Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama has claimed the award for the Western Conference, while Pistons guard Cade Cunningham won it in the Eastern Conference, the league announced today (via Twitter).

Due to the NBA Cup scheduling, Wembanyama and the Spurs only played two games during the week of December 16-22, but the reigning Rookie of the Year was absolutely dominant in those two outings, averaging 36.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and an eye-popping 7.0 blocks in 33.5 minutes per contest.

Wembanyama posted a shooting line of .525/.478/.826 in wins over Atlanta and Portland and matched a career high with 10 blocked shots in a historic performance against the Blazers on Saturday.

Cunningham’s Pistons enjoyed a 2-1 week, with victories over Miami and Phoenix. The fourth-year point guard averaged 27.0 points, 12.7 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 39.0 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .492/.409/.778. He had a 20-point, 18-assist, 11-rebound triple-double against the Heat last Monday.

Wembanyama beat out fellow nominees Dillon Brooks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, and Clippers teammates James Harden and Norman Powell to earn the first Western Conference Player of the Week award of his career, per the NBA (Twitter link).

It’s also the first time in Cunningham’s career that he has been named the East’s Player of the Week. The other nominees for the honor were Jalen Brunson, Tyrese Maxey, Evan Mobley, Pascal Siakam and Jayson Tatum.