Basketball Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are caught up in “Wembymania.” The two former teammates talked about the San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama on a recent episode of “KG Certified,” and they are sold. Pierce believes he’s already among the top five players in the league based on skill, and Garnett thinks he’ll be so good the Spurs will make the playoffs. Are they going too far?
“Right now today, Wemby is one of the top five skilled players in the NBA,” said Pierce. “He can do what KD does. He can do what Anthony Davis can do. In this small sample, he’s shown me the handle. He’s shown me the stepback. He’s shown me the lob, the pick and roll threat. The pick and roll and the pick and pop threat. He has shown me he can get the ball in traffic and dunk on everybody.”
Best Prospect Since LeBron James
Wembanyama is the best prospect to come into the league since LeBron James. But understand what that means.
It means in terms of tools, skill set and ability he has a lot for a 19 year old. Does it mean that he’ll become LeBron or any of the other all-time greats? Maybe. It takes more than skill to do that.
Wembanyama impressed in summer league and he’s impressed in the preseason. At 7 feet 4 with his skill set, he’s nothing the NBA has ever seen. He can shoot from deep, put it on the floor and attack the rim, he can spot up, and run off screens and pin downs. With his height he’ll get easy put-backs at the rim. He’ll also get to the line a ton.
On defense, he will block a ton of shots. Not just at the rim, but he can block three-pointers as well. Even when he’s seemingly out of position or “too far” away from the ball his 8’0″ wingspan means he can close space like nobody else.
He has all the markings of an all-time great. But that takes time and some luck along the way.
If Wembanyama stays healthy there is no doubt he will become an all-time great. The skill set, work ethic, and willingness to be coached suggest that. But he’s not there yet. Nobody is an all-timer on day one. Not even the all-time greats.
Kevin Durant is as complete and skilled a player as there is. Wemby is not that yet. And Anthony Davis, when healthy, is an elite two-way wrecking force. Again, that’s not Wemby yet.
Give It Time
He has shown flashes of those two players in his game. But to be either one of them, but especially KD, you need consistent excellence. That’s what makes all-time greats. Elite play year after year.
Video and breakdown of Wemby’s strengths and weaknesses are already in every team’s scouting packet. Once the league gets a feel for his size and the better teams and defenders take away what he does well, he’ll need to develop counters and learn to adjust. Every great player has gone through it. It won’t be any different for him.
The Spurs are going to bring him along slowly and play him at power forward a lot. He’s not ready to be a full-time center yet. He will win rookie of the year, be first team All-Rookie and probably an All-Star in year one.
As for the team making the playoffs? It’s rare for a rookie to lead a team to the playoffs. The Spurs have some good young players, but nobody in their projected starting five or in their 12 man rotation was a net positive in EPM last year. That’s a long road to climb. They’ll be better than last season’s 22-60 record, but no playoffs in a competitive Western Conference.
The sky is the limit for Wembanyama, and assuming good injury luck and continued development he will be one of the best to ever do it.
