Victor Wembanyama /Photo Courtesy of Eric Gay/AP

CBS Sports/Mark Daigneault

As the playoffs continue, the NBA is announcing its regular season awards. The Coach of the Year was announced on Sunday, it was Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder that took home the award. Daigneault led the Thunder to a 57-25 season (their best since 2013-14) and currently, the Thunder are 3-0 in their first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Before Coach of the Year, other awards were announced. Tyrese Maxey of the Philadelphia 76ers won Most Improved Player over Coby White and Alperen Sengun. Naz Reid of the Minnesota Timberwolves took home Sixth Man of the Year over Bobby Portis and Malik Monk. Steph Curry won Clutch Player of the Year over DeMar DeRozan and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

 Now that the most prestigious individual awards are left. Let’s take a look at the remaining awards and make predictions on who will win.

The Defensive Player of the Year award is given to the player who makes the biggest impact on the defensive end of the floor. Whether they are defending an opposing team’s best scorer or protecting the paint, some players in the league are elite defenders. This year’s finalists are Bam Adebayo, Rudy Gobert, and Victor Wembanyama. Adebayo has made an impact on the defensive end from the beginning. As someone who mentioned that Defensive Player of the Year was on his radar, he has continued to excel in that area. Adebayo has a good chance of winning the award, but there is some tough competition.

Rudy Gobert is no stranger to the Defensive Player of the Year award. He is a three-time DPOY, who won the award in 2018, 2019, and 2021. He is the fourth player to win the award three or more times (with the others being Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, and Dwight Howard). Gobert averaged 2.1 blocks this season (more than he did last year).

Victor Wembanyama is one of the league’s brightest, young stars. He is making an impact in his rookie season and is showing that he can be a force for years to come. Wembanyama is special on offense but he is just as good on defense.

Wembanyama is a versatile defender, and he averaged 3.6 blocks this season. The young star has a good chance of winning the award and could make history.

The DPOY race is tough, and it can go to any of these players, but the rookie should take it.

Prediction: Victor Wembanyama

The Rookie of the Year award is a special award that some of today’s best players (like LeBron James) have won in the past. This year’s race was a strong one and featured players who will make an impact for years to come.

The race features Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren and Brandon Miller. Wembanyama averaged a double-double this season with 21.4 points and 10.6 rebounds. Holmgren missed his rookie year due to an injury, but this year, he is back better than ever. Holmgren averaged 16.5 points and 7.9 rebounds. He has been a key player in OKC’s success. Brandon Miller was the second pick of the 2023 draft. He averaged 17.3 points and 4.3 rebounds.

All three rookies have bright futures, but Wembanyama should take this award as well. If so, he could be the first player in history to win Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same year.

Prediction: Victor Wembanyama

The Most Valuable Player award is given to the player that had the best season. They played at a high level and usually, they have led their team to strong seasons. This year’s race is between Luka Donic, Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Gilgeous-Alexander had a strong season, as he averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds. He was on a tear this season, and he and his team are getting the proper recognition. Doncic averaged 33.9 points, 9.8 assists and 9.2 rebounds. He is one of the league’s most exciting players, and this year, he has a strong chance at MVP. Jokic is no stranger to MVP. He has been every year since 2021, and he has won twice. He could be on the verge of his third. Jokic averages 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists.

This is an extremely tough race, and it will be interesting to see who takes it home.

Prediction: Luka Doncic

The remaining awards currently do not have a date for when they will be announced. However, fans will know the winners in due time.