After reaching the required threshold for awards eligibility, Victor Wembanyama shared his thoughts on the NBA’s 65-game rule and even turned the discussion into a spontaneous math exercise with reporters.
“In my opinion, it’s good to have a threshold, a limit,” he said. “Where do we need to put it? I don’t know. It’s a good question.”
The San Antonio Spurs star then flipped the conversation, asking reporters for their opinions on what percentage of the season should determine eligibility.
“Let me ask you a question,” Wembanyama said. “What percentage of the season do you think should be the limit?”
As answers ranged from about two-thirds to 80 percent, Wembanyama worked through the numbers out loud, comparing total minutes played under different scenarios.
“If a guy plays 50 games, 35 minutes a game, that’s 50 times 35 – that’s 1,750, right? Am I right?” he said. “If a guy plays 75 games at 20 minutes, it’s 1,500. So it’s a good view, in my opinion, to not have a limit. It’s one opinion.
“Seventy-five percent of the games, in my opinion, would be a logical thing, and that would be 61 1/2 games, right? So, 62 games.”
After a reporter confirmed his calculations, laughter broke out in the room.
“Of course, the alien gets all of it right,” another reporter joked.
Wembanyama also recognized the wider implications of the rule, pointing out that players like Cade Cunningham, Luka Doncic and Anthony Edwards are set to miss the threshold this season.
“I think, obviously, I don’t think there’s going to be an exception made for this year,” he said. “I think it’d be somewhat unfair, but we’ll see how it turns out.”
Victor Wembanyama Says He Wouldn't Have Played Friday If Not For 65-Game Rule https://t.co/veUufhfzKS
— RealGM (@RealGM) April 11, 2026
