Wembanyama, Next Face of the NBA?

The player who was selected at number 1 in the last draft, is being one of the sensations of the season, fulfilling the expectations that had been generated around him. With 56 games played, he is averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 3.4 blocks, with 46.9% shooting from the field, in 28.8 minutes per game.

Continuous evolution and learning

With the rookie of the year award in his pocket, Wembanyama continues to grow and evolve as the games go by, especially on defense. He currently leads the league in blocks per game, and is the leader of the rookie list in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks per game. The dominance is extraordinary, something that has not been seen for many years in the league, perhaps because we have never seen a player with his physical characteristics play the way he does.

Victor Wembanyama is.... 🤯

💫31 points
💫12 rebounds
💫6 assists
💫6 blocks

And he only needed 31 minutes. pic.twitter.com/gjFetBDReD

- NBASpain (@NBAspain) March 4, 2024

His coach, Gregg Popovich, was recently talking about that learning process the French player is going through, especially on the defensive end:

"He's learning about who he's defending because he has no idea who these guys are. You can see them on videos, but it doesn't mean anything until you're on the court with them, so it's been educational for him. He's learning how to use his length, especially when he doesn't need to get up in front of the opponent. He's been getting better and better at understanding the defensive schemes we want to employ and knowing that he's the leader in that aspect."

Great performances in recent games

In the last 10 games, he has averaged 22.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.9 steals, and 5.1 blocks, with 49.4% shooting from the field, and 42.9% on three-pointers. These were the most outstanding performances:

• 12/2/2024 vs Raptors: 27 PTS, 14 REB, 5 AST, 10 TAP, 29 MIN.
• 2/14/2024 vs Mavericks: 26 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 3 TAP, 27 MIN.
• 2/22/2024 vs Kings: 19 PTS, 14 REB, 4 AST, 5 ROB, 5 TAP, 31 MIN.
• 2/23/2024 vs Lakers: 27 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST, 5 ROB, 5 TAP, 31 MIN.
• 2/27/2024 vs Wolves: 17 PTS, 13 REB, 5 AST, 4 TAP, 34 MIN.
• 2/2/29/2024 vs Thunder: 28 PTS, 13 REB, 7 AST, 5 TAP, 32 MIN.
• 3/3/2024 vs Pacers: 31 PTS, 12 REB, 6 AST, 6 TAP, 31 MIN.
• 5/3/2024 VS Rockets: 10 PTS, 11 REB, 7 TAP, 31 MIN.

It is very difficult to pick just four or five games as the highlights, because the level that Wembanyama is showing, especially after the "All-Star" break, is amazing, especially considering his age and the short time he has been in the league.

If we watch the game he played against the Pacers, for example, we can see the superiority he has on both sides of the court, and the versatility his game offers. At 2.24 meters tall, he is capable of bouncing like a point guard, shooting from long distance, assisting, rebounding, and blocking as rarely seen. But he goes beyond that. In addition to having a great impact on the game when the ball is in his hands, he also does it when he doesn't have it, especially on defense. Because of his large wingspan, agility, and mobility, opposing players must think twice before trying to beat the French giant near the rim and also on the perimeter, as he has already blocked many three-point shots. This leaves them with two options: either try to get him out of the zone for penetrations, or try to pin him inside to shoot from the outside.

Comparison with legends in his first year

Many are talking about Victor Wembanyama as a generational player, who will mark an era . So far he seems to be on the right track. If we compare his numbers (at the beginning of the article) with those of some legends in their first season, we see that they have a lot in common (varying according to the position, and with the exception of Jordan's scoring numbers).

• Tim Duncan (21 years old): 21,1PTS/ 11,9 REB/ 2,5 TAP/ 55% TC.
• Shaquille O'Neal (20 years old): 23.9 PTS/ 13.4 REB/ 3.5 TAP/ 56% TC.
• Larry Bird (23 years old): 21.3 PTS/ 10.4 REB/ 4.5 AST/ 1.7 ROB/ 47% TC/ 40% T3.
• "Magic" Johnson (20 years old): 18 PTS/ 7.7 REB/ 7.3 AST/ 2.4 ROB/ 53% TC.
• Michael Jordan (21 years old): 28.2 PTS/ 6.5 REB/ 5.9 AST/ 2.4 ROB/ 51% TC.
• LeBron James (19 years old): 20.9 PTS/ 5.5 REB/ 5.9 AST/ 1.6 ROB/ 41% TC.

All of them were named rookies of the year, except "Magic" who debuted in the same season as Larry Bird, who took the award. On the other hand, that season Johnson was NBA champion and Finals MVP. In addition, all of them, except LeBron, were members of the "All-Star" in their first season, something that has not happened again since Blake Griffin achieved it in 2011.

Victor Wembanyama is, without a doubt, a very special player who, if he continues with the progression he is showing all season, could become one of the best players in history. These are words that have already been used with many other players who have failed to reach those expectations but, in the case of "Wemby", with his extraordinary physique and his incredible way of playing, they do not seem so far-fetched.