Meet 'alien' Victor Wembanyama - the man ready to change the NBA
LeBron James has called him an 'alien', Steph Curry likened the French phenom to a '2K create-a-player' while Kevin Durant believes the 'league is really in trouble' when Wembanyama is drafted.
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From hoopshype:
Previous rank: 1 (-)
Best rank: 1 (ESPN, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, NBADraft.net, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, SB Nation, Yahoo, Basketball News, For The Win)
Worst rank: 1
Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous No. 1 overall pick in all 10 mock drafts polled. Entering 2023, Wembanyama is considered a generational prospect that has surpassed the hype of LeBron James coming out of high school.
Wembanyama can create off the dribble, shoot one-legged three-pointers, and act as a human fly swatter around the rim or on the perimeter when switched onto guards.
The only question some around the league have is whether Wembanyama will be able to remain healthy due to his unique size and skill set, given injuries to fellow unicorn types such as Chet Holmgren, Kristaps Porzingis, etc.
As one NBA scout told HoopsHype, “Some people compared his physique with Chet Holmgren, but Victor’s shoulders and frame are better. You don’t pass on him No. 1 because you’re worried about an injury at his size.”
Another NBA scout suggested Wembanyama try to emulate the body growth of Giannis Antetokounmpo to maintain as much flexibility and athleticism as possible while maximizing the filling out of his frame.
Wembanyama may also be the first prospect to have current NBA players compared to him, such as Orlando Magic center Bol Bol.
“Everyone talks about the Victor dude from France,” Magic star Paolo Banchero told HoopsHype when asked who compares to Bol. “I’m not trying to compare them, but Bol’s 7-foot-2, shoots threes, brings it up the court, makes passes, and blocks shots. I feel like people kind of forget about him, but Bol’s a freak of nature.”
Discuss.
