Incoming draft prospect Victor Wembanyama is an 18 year old French basketball player who is projected to be the number one pick in the upcoming 2023 NBA draft. Wembanyama stands at 7-foot-4 with an 8 foot wingspan. This makes any basketball fan think that he would be like any other freakishly tall player, however, Wembanyama is able to move just like any other guard in the league very effectively even at his size. This is what makes him the best draft prospect since Lebron James entered the league 20 years ago.
Currently, Wembenyama plays for Metropolitan 92 in the LNB Pro A in France. Following this year he will be looking to make his way over to the United States to join the NBA and will be looked at as the finishing touch of the global takeover of the NBA.
Wembanyama’s style of play is shocking and extremely entertaining to watch because there are not many people we have ever seen that are able to do what he does. There is not a single thing on the basketball court that he is unable to do. He can finish at the rim, shoot, dribble and defend which may be his best attribute of all. In scouting reports, Wemby draws comparisons to Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert but all in one single player.
The hype for Wemby really started back in October when the Metropolitan 92 traveled to Las Vegas to take on the G League Ignite in two exhibition games. This was the first time Wembanyama was able to really showcase his skills in the United States and he did not disappoint. Over the span of the two games he managed to drop 73 points. His skills were explained best when Lebron James commented on Wembanyama in a press conference saying, “Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien. No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is but as fluid and graceful as he is on the floor.”
I completely agree that Wembanyama is the best prospect since Lebron James, although I do not think he is nearly as safe. I think he is a surefire star, unless he struggles with injury. Often players with his body type, tall and super skinny, are at risk for leg injuries. I hope this does not occur because of Wembanyama's unqique skillset, but I think there is a high chance he has a struggle with injuries throughout his career.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I honestly expected more teams to tank. For such a franchise changing player I expected some historically bad teams this season, but nothing seems out of the ordinary. This may be due to the fact that the NBA now has a play-in tournament so more teams have a shot at the playoffs.