With the 2024 Paris Olympics officially in the rearview mirror, Team France and San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama had a message for the rest of the world. “I’m learning, and I’m worried for the opponents in a couple of years,” as Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News reported. The 7-foot-4, 20-year-old Frenchman is already must-see TV, helping set an Olympic mark with 19.5 million people watching the gold medal match against the United States, the most since the 1996 games. For context, the 2024 NBA Finals averaged 11.3 million viewers. Wembanyama’s skill set is unlike anything we’ve ever seen, whether you’re a diehard fan who remembers the days when big men lumbered down the court, finding their spot in the post, and waiting patiently for an entry pass with their back to the basket, or you’re a more recent convert who is accustomed to seeing big men sprint down the court, running towards the rim with the grace and athleticism of a guard. In summary, we have a player who can’t even buy a drink in the United States, who enjoys big-pressure moments, who has skills unlike any player that has ever lived, and who is humble enough to realize he still has a lot to learn. He has the size of a center, the handle of a guard, and the shooting touch of a forward. He also has excellent vision and is, by all accounts, a great teammate. This last point may be my personal favorite.
The ceiling is inconceivable.
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 3.6 blocks in his first NBA season while maintaining a shooting line of.465/.435/.796. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team, won Rookie of the Year, and placed second in the competition for Defensive Player of the Year.
His growth over the season is much more concerning. After the NBA All-Star break, he improved both his offensive and defensive ratings (from 107 to 101), averaging 23.5 points, 12 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He also went from being a minus-6.0 to a plus-2.4 on the floor. Wembanyama topped the league in blocks on defense even though he only played 29.7 minutes a game. Of course, defense is about more than just making good blocks, and Wembanyama excelled in that area as well. Against Wembanyama, opponents shot a horrendous 53.6% inside six feet, a decline of 10.7% from their season averages. They had an 8.6% poorer shooting within 10 feet. He’s enrolled in Leadership 101.
Wembanyama frequently finds himself at the center of attention when leading his teams, as he is compelled to do. By no means were the 2023–24 San Antonio Spurs a star-studded team; in fact, Doug McDermott and Sidy Cissoko were the only players over the age of 28. Sidy Cissoko was the only player under the age of 20. Having Gregg Popovich, the famous coachWembanyama topped the league in blocks on defense even though he only played 29.7 minutes a game. Of course, defense is about more than just making good blocks, and Wembanyama excelled in that area as well. Against Wembanyama, opponents shot a horrendous 53.6% inside six feet, a decline of 10.7% from their season averages. They had an 8.6% poorer shooting within 10 feet. He’s enrolled in Leadership 101.
Wembanyama frequently finds himself at the center of attention when leading his teams, as he is compelled to do. By no means were the 2023–24 San Antonio Spurs a star-studded team; in fact, Doug McDermott and Sidy Cissoko were the only players over the age of 28. Sidy Cissoko was the only player under the age of 20. Having Gregg Popovich, the famous coach Wembanyama appears to be what you get when you combine the defensive presence of Hakeem Olajuwon with the offensive mentality of Kevin Durant and the playmaking of LeBron James. We will be hankering after him to be the next NBA logo in a few decades if he finds some nasty Kevin Garnett and some next-level Kobe Bryant intensity.