Why only Victor Wembanyama and Jayson Tatum have matched Stephen Curry’s rare NBA feat

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Now in his 17th NBA season, Stephen Curry is still showing he’s one of the league’s top players.

He has the Golden State Warriors off to a 4-1 start in the 2025-26 season, while he continues to put up impressive numbers.

Curry is currently averaging 27.0 points, five assists, and nearly two steals per game, with a 42.3% shooting mark from beyond the arc. He remains an elite player and is still regarded as one of the faces of basketball.

Kendrick Perkins points out the lack of American MVP winners

Kendrick Perkins has noted that the league is searching for a new American star, pointing out that no US player has taken home the MVP in recent years.

He put forward one name he thinks could step into that role. Perkins highlighted Jayson Tatum, even though Tatum is currently recovering from an Achilles injury.

“The only person who looks like he wants it… There are two people. I’m going to give him his credit. One is injured with an Achilles injury, and that’s Jayson Tatum,” said Perkins.

Perkins added, “Jayson Tatum has come out on several occasions talking about how he would love to be the face of the league, how he wants to be the best player in the world, and how he wants to win the MVP.”

Perkins says Victor Wembanyama wants face of the league spotlight

Perkins went on to point out that international players like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have been setting the pace in the NBA.

He also thinks Frenchman Victor Wembanyama has shown the clearest ambition to take on that role.

“But if we’re talking about the best players in the world, we’re looking at Jokic, SGA, Giannis, still LeBron and Steph, but I’m not counting them because they’re on their way out. We already know this,” Perkins explained.

“We’re talking about the guys who are replacing them. Even Luka is in that conversation. We can slide [Anthony Edwards] in there.”

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“All I’m saying is we’re looking for that next guy, and the next guy who seems like he wants to embrace it is Victor Wembanyama. He’s like, ‘Come here. I want that on my toes. I want all that. If you don’t want it, I’ll take it.”

If he keeps playing as well as he has at the start of this season, Wembanyama may be ready to step into a role currently held by veteran stars starting to slow down.