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San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) goes up to shoot against Dallas Mavericks’ Khris Middleton (20) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
Darren Abate\/AP<\/p>\n
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Joki\u0107, left, looks to pass the ball as Memphis Grizzlies forward Toby Okani defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Denver.<\/p>\n
David Zalubowski\/AP<\/p>\n
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, center top, goes to the basket against Dallas Mavericks’ Ryan Nembhard (9), Dwight Powell (7) and Cooper Flagg (32) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 10, 2026, in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
Darren Abate\/AP<\/p>\n
Victor Wembanyama got to 65 games. Nikola Jokic might not.<\/p>\n
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And the NBA’s award eligibility rule was a talking point yet again Friday night.<\/p>\n
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The 65-game standard was the biggest reason Wembanyama played through bruised ribs in San Antonio’s next-to-last \u2014 and standings-wise, meaningless \u2014 game of the season against Dallas. He needed to play 20 minutes to ensure he’d get a 65th qualifying game and make it to the awards ballot, and wound up playing 26 to secure that spot.<\/p>\n
\u201cFeels like it’s a box that’s checked,\u201d Wembanyama said.<\/p>\n
He’s the favorite to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year, he’ll almost certainly be an All-NBA pick and he’ll get some votes for MVP \u2014 an award he clearly wants \u2014 as well.<\/p>\n
But Jokic, the three-time MVP who will finish the season as the league’s rebounding champion, assist champion and only player averaging a triple-double, didn’t play in Denver’s game against Oklahoma City, with the Nuggets citing a right wrist injury. That left Jokic at 64 games for the season, one away from the magic 65 number.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s possible, but doesn\u2019t sound guaranteed, that Jokic will get that 65th game on Sunday in the regular-season finale. Nuggets coach David Adelman said \u201can adult conversation\u201d was going to take place on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, the success in the playoffs matters more than anything else,\u201d Adelman said. \u201cBut this rule stares at us right now. And so, we\u2019ve got to make a proper decision and we need to go in there with a real plan of \u2018this is what it\u2019s going to be.\u2019 Either he gets those minutes, or we say \u2018let\u2019s just move on.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Adelman said he hopes the rule is changed, somehow, this summer. He said if players like Jokic can play 64 games, never wanting to come out, and not be award-eligible, then something is wrong.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThat\u2019s not the spirit of what that rule is,\u201d Adelman said.<\/p>\n
The 65-game rule \u2014 which was hammered out in talks between the league and the players\u2019 union as part of the current collective bargaining agreement \u2014 has been a hot topic in recent weeks. The Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Doncic, currently out with a hamstring injury, is going to win the scoring title but he’s one game short of being award-eligible.<\/p>\n
If neither Doncic nor Jokic is awards-eligible, the league’s scoring, rebound and assist champions all will miss the All-NBA team. The games-played threshold for being eligible for statistical titles is 58, or 70% of the season.<\/p>\n
Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy, has said an appeal will be filed with the NBA to cite special circumstances and get the scoring champ on the awards ballots. An appeal could be filed on behalf of Detroit star Cade Cunningham \u2014 who will finish just short of the awards threshold \u2014 and Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards won’t get to 65 games, either.<\/p>\n
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And even Wembanyama isn\u2019t sure if 65 is the right number.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an interesting question. It\u2019s a very interesting question,\u201d Wembanyama said, when told Doncic, Cunningham and Edwards are among those certain to fall short of 65 games. \u201cIf those three aren\u2019t \u2014 especially Cade and Luka \u2014 if they aren\u2019t in the end-of-season awards, for sure it\u2019s not going to reflect their impact on the season. But at the same time, in my opinion, it\u2019s good to have a threshold, a limit. Where do we need to put it? I don\u2019t know. It\u2019s a good question.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wembanyama was well on his way to winning the defensive player award last season when a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis cut his season short at the All-Star break and left him far below the 65-game standard.<\/p>\n
He almost didn’t get there this year, either.<\/p>\n
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\u201cMeans a lot. Means a lot. More than people know,\u201d Wembanyama said. \u201cComing back from a terrible place a little bit more than a year ago, and if I\u2019m here today it\u2019s because of all the people that have allowed me to work through this and get better and all the work that we\u2019ve put in all year long. I wouldn\u2019t be able to do what I\u2019ve done this season if I hadn\u2019t worked so hard in the summer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wembanyama’s primary wish for the season is a championship. Jokic would surely say the same.<\/p>\n
But there is a balance, and individual awards do matter, Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndividual awards, accolades, recognition, accomplishment is important,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cAnd I think when you have a team that understands that the greater good for the team and the group is the most important thing, it allows people to feel good about not only acknowledging others but also being acknowledged in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
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