The San Antonio Spurs have a generational talent on their hands with Victor Wembanyama.
After taking some time to rebuild, the San Antonio Spurs have a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama. He entered the league with some of the most hype and expectations since LeBron James — who is arguably the greatest player in NBA history.
Wembanyama not only has a 7-foot-3 frame to give him an advantage, but he can move and score like a short guard while providing an elite defensive presence. There hasn’t been a prospect like Wembanyama in the history of the sport.
At just 20-years-old, Wembanyama has been able to get an up-close look at superstars he watched growing up. However, getting an up-close look hasn’t been what the French phenom quite expected.
Some players devote their entire work to their craft. That shines through their play and rapid improvement. However, there are some players that don’t earn what they have in the NBA given their work ethics, which Wembanyama recently critiqued in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
Wembanyama was asked if there are any NBA players that he admires, which he gave a very honest answer to.
“In a good way, some of them are really impressive and inspiring in the way they approach the game every night.
“But others that I used to like, now it’s like I’m just not sure they deserve it. Like they don’t seem like they put as much work in as I thought,” Wembanyama said.
The Spurs star’s work ethic combined with his natural ability is a primary reason that he’s projected to lead his generation. He’s a true “unicorn” of the sport.
For each generation, the NBA has had a face of the league. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominated the 1980s. Michael Jordan took over the 1990s before LeBron James took over in the 2000s and has since dominated the primary image of the NBA.
Could Wembanyama be next up with those players? It’s certainly possible. The 7-foot-3 unicorn averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks per game during his rookie campaign, winning Rookie of the Year.
The Spurs center moves like a guard while being arguably the best alley-oop threat in the league. He transforms the entire team’s defense, too.
There’s potential for Wembanyama to take over the league as the face. He’s got the work ethic to expand on his game, which is already incredibly eye-catching. His brand and how the league handles his promotion will evidently determine whether or not that comes to fruition.
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