Victor Wembanyama is leagues above most of his NBA peers, but he’s never let it get to his head. Even after rising to stardom and leading his team to the NBA Finals in just three years, Victor’s humility remains one of his defining traits.
Speaking in a recent chat with former NBA veteran Rudy Gay, Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox spoke about Victor’s selflessness and how it created a positive locker room culture. According to Fox, he’s a better man than he is a player, which is why he’s been able to form such tight bonds with his teammates in such a short time.
“His humbleness is the first thing you see whenever you’re around him,” said Fox in a chat with Rudy Gay. “This guy could be an a**hole if he wanted it to be because of the talent that he has at such a young age. And he’s nowhere near that, and he’s nowhere near his potential as well. So, I mean, he’s a better person than he is a basketball player. And I think that’s saying something because we know we all know how good he is as a basketball player. And he’s just selfless.”
Since being drafted first overall in 2023, Victor has been under constant pressure to succeed. Hailed as the next generational great, expectations were set high from the jump, and he has delivered so far. Over his first three seasons, Wembanyama has set a historic pace with averages of 23.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.5 blocks per game on 48.4% shooting and 34.2% shooting from three. He’s also a two-time All-Star, fresh off making history as the NBA’s first-ever (and youngest) unanimous Defensive Player of the Year.
Out of all his qualities, however, Victor’s humble and selfless persona may be the most underrated. Rather than stoke his own ego by trying to be the hero every night, Victor tries to play within the natural flow of the game, letting himself get involved without disrupting his teammates’ scoring rhythm.
While his talent might justify being selfish with the ball, Victor makes it a point to play the right way and actively seeks to make life easier for his teammates. Off the court, his maturity and leadership have set the tone for the entire team, resulting in a more mature locker room that’s breaking stereotypes about younger, inexperienced teams.
To Victor’s credit, the combination of his skill and honest leadership has gotten the Spurs far (three wins away from the title), but they still need an extra push to go the distance. That’s why if they don’t complete the 3-1 comeback this year, we can expect the Spurs to make some improvements around the edges. With one or two upgrades, the Spurs can go into next season with maximum title odds, and Wembanyama would finally have a team worthy of his wide-reaching impact.
What’s scary is that Victor is only just getting started. At 22, he still has so much to learn, and the fact that he’s already got championship habits is a good sign of what we can expect for the rest of his career.
