NASA Shouts Out Victor Wembanyama After DPOY Win

Thanks to his freakish length and versatility, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has earned the moniker "The Alien." The name implies that he is out of this world, so it's only fitting that he is getting recognized by those who actually travel there. Fresh off his unanimous Defensive Player of the Year recognition, NASA gave Wembanyama his flowers.

On this planet or out in the universe, Wemby defends.

— NASA (@NASA) April 21, 2026

Wemby's Space History

This isn't the first connection between Wembanyama and NASA, as he also joined the Artemis II livestream, sending a message to the astronauts as they prepared for their journey.

“Hey, I’m Victor Wembanyama, and I play basketball in the NBA,” he told the astronauts. “But I’m not only interested in shooting hoops. I’m also interested in shooting stars, dark matter, and all other types of astronomical phenomena. And to Artemis II astronauts who are shooting for the moon, I wish them good luck and Godspeed.”

Wembanyama's interest in the cosmos is clear, with the star visiting Houston's Kennedy Space Center in 2025. Wemby was brought on a tour of the facility and rode in a lunar rover. The Spurs shared photos of the visit, with Wembanyama towering over the astronauts. Wembanyama's passion for space doesn't stop there, as following his Rookie of the Year ceremony, he stuck around to attend a presentation on dark matter.