Victor Wembanyama was an exciting prospect when he entered the NBA Draft and was a consensus #1 overall pick. It got even better when he played his rookie season, as he was the unanimous choice for Rookie of the Year with averages of 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game.
Wemby also came second in the Defensive Player of the Year race, which he could win multiple times in the foreseeable future. He is the most exciting young player in the NBA, which has led to legit hype. Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball believes Wemby is a generational defender and possibly the best player ever when he retires.
“Wemby’s probably the best defensive player we’ve ever seen. He got an average of five to six blocks per game and that’s gonna be O.D,” Ball said on The WAE Show. “He has a chance to be the best player ever potentially. I’ll say that right now and I’ll stand on ten… When we went toe-to-toe with Giannis, that’s when I said alright, ‘cause I didn’t even watch him in France.”
Wemby is worth the hype for every NBA fan
When Wemby was in Europe, basketball fans were already excited about what he could bring. At 7’4”, he had a skill set akin to a guard. That could capture anyone’s attention because he is that tall, making moves only players a foot smaller than him could do.
Besides the flashy plays, Vic had undeniable strengths, like his shot-blocking ability and his feel for the game. Wemby is amongst the smartest rookies of the modern era because he does well with his positioning and makes the right play every time he can on offense.
He is quite a polished NBA player at 19/20 years old, which shows why the hype is legit. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has likened him to Tim Duncan , which is a significant comparison, considering Pop won five championships together.
“ He’s made me understand that he has those Tim Duncan qualities of innate basketball IQ and a fire that he wants to be the best, ” Pop said to The Athletic.
Wemby has every chance to prove Lonzo right
What Lonzo said might look like a hot take, but there is a good reason to believe him. Wemby was already one of the best players in the league in his rookie season and is not going anytime soon. The Frenchman will improve with time as he develops his skill set and becomes stronger physically.
Ball might have made a bold prediction, but Wemby could lead this Spurs team to another successful era by staying healthy. Victor can compete with LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the title of the best player in NBA history. Yes, people might be getting ahead of themselves, but that is the excitement that Wemby has brought to the table.
Related: "I got a picture of Wemby trying to block my shot" - Chris Paul is in awe of Victor Wembanyama
Most Popular
Comments / 0