In a chat with the media ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, NBA legend Dwyane Wade opened up on the NBA’s next rising star. Wade, like many other NBA personnel, has strong opinions on Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama.
“[Victor Wembanyama] is electrifying, and that’s not even a big enough word for what he brings. But what I love most about him, obviously we’re gonna look at the highlights and everything is gonna be incredible, but it’s the patience of this player. The patience to make sure that his teammates get involved and get into the game first. And he did the little things first little things to get himself going and then. he took over.”
— WembyMuseVids (@Wemby_MuseVids) July 27, 2024
Wade, a 3x champion, is widely viewed as one of the best shooting guards in NBA history. He was unstoppable in his prime and was a fan-favorite for his relentless attack and superior competitive spirit. Over 16 years in the NBA, Wade averaged 22.0 points, 5.4 assists, and 4.7 rebounds per game on 48.0% shooting. He retired in 2019 as a hero of the game and one of Miami’s greatest sports legends.
So far, we’re still waiting for the modern generation of superstars to rise but Wade has already tapped Victor Wembanyama as one with the potential to get there. The 7’4″ big man out of France made himself known for years before the draft and he was touted as the best prospect since LeBron James.
After going first overall to the Spurs in 2023, Victor validated the hype with a stellar rookie campaign. In 71 games, Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.6 blocks per game on 46% shooting. He was unanimously named the Rookie of the Year.
Of course, with the Paris Olympic Games officially underway, Victor’s latest endeavor involves a stint with Rudy Gobert and Team France. Victor dropped 19 points and 9 rebounds in 31 minutes to lead his country to victory over Brazil.
Whether it’s in Europe or San Antonio, Victor is the star of the show no matter where he’s at and he’s surpassing all expectations as a potential generational talent. The leadership, discipline, and wisdom that he displayed at just 20 years old is truly impressive, and it’s what has earned the respect of OGs like Wade, LeBron, and others.
For the 2024-25 campaign, the Spurs aren’t likely to be competitive. With Victor, Chris Paul, and mostly unproven young players on the roster, nobody is giving them a chance to contend with the top teams in the West. In fact, many believe they could opt to tank for a while until they stockpile enough young talent.
Still, with Victor, they have a chance to surprise a lot of people and establish themselves as a team on the rise in the Western Conference. At the very least, with Gregg Popovich overseeing the team, they are bound to show some improvement from their 22-60 record from last year.
We know that Wemby wants to win now and that he’s desperate to be competitive but the process could take years and there’s nothing he can do but wait. In the meantime, Victor will continue to grow and expand his game so that when the time comes, he can be ready to take his team all the way.
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