The 7’5 Prodigy
Imagine a kid who embodies the awe-inspiring offensive prowess of Kevin Durant fused with the commanding defensive presence of Rudy Gobert. The immense anticipation surrounding him suggests the potential to single-handedly transform any team he joins. Very few players have had this hype surrounding them pre-draft.
Victor Wembanyama joins players with great prospect hype such as:
Lebron James
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Patrick Ewing
Shaquille O’Neal
Zion Williamson
“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien... He’s for sure a generational talent”
Though the skillset this kid has is crazy, league history tells us how hard it actually is for things to pan out the way we think they may.
The Last 25 #1 Overall Draft Picks
Wow! Throughout the last 25 years of number 1 overall picks:
Finals MVPs won: Lebron James
Regular Season MVPs won: Lebron James, Derrick Rose
Championships won: Lebron James, Dwight Howard, Kyrie Irving, Andrew Bogut, Anthony Davis, and Andrew Wiggins
This goes to show how potential may not always translate to winning at the highest levels. This may be due to a combination of pressure and expectations put on the player at a young age.
Just a week ago, the San Antonio Spurs secured the top pick in the recent draft lottery, solidifying their rights to Victor Wembanyama. He will have the privilege of being coached under the legendary Gregg Popovich, renowned for his emphasis on fundamental basketball, defensive discipline, and selfless teamwork. Victor may remind some of us of Tim Duncan, a former first-overall pick who thrived under the Spurs system. Throughout his career, his accolades consisted of:
5x NBA Champion
3x NBA Finals MVP
2x Regular Season MVP
15x NBA All-Star
10x All-NBA First Team
3x All-NBA Second Team
15 All-Defensive Selections
Victor Wembanyama, standing at a height of 7’5 and an 8-foot wingspan, will have spawned in an extraordinary system that carries the potential to push him to become an all-time great. While recognizing the career-ending injuries that talents such as Greg Oden and Yao Ming underwent, it is hoped a physical specimen such as Victor can remain healthy paving the way for an illustrious career.
