Victor Wembanyama is yet to play even a single game in the NBA, but the French phenom is already getting hyped to become a legend of the game.
Sure, Wembanyama has the tools to establish himself as a perennial superstar in the current NBA, but what if he played in the 1990s? Well, Shaquille O’Neal recently talked about how Wembanyama would have been destroyed in his era in an interview with ‘The Rich Eisen Show.’
“I think people better watch out, but if this was our era, bang him, he’d be chicken noodle soup, which I kind of like.”
(Starts at 10:52)
Victor Wembanyama is touted to become the next big thing in the NBA. But the hype that surrounds him is keeping in mind how the game of basketball is played in the modern era.
However, when Shaq entered the league in the 1992 NBA Draft, the league was much different. Players flaunted a much more physical style of basketball. Now, as blessed as Wembanyama is with skills, he still has a lanky frame.
Keeping that in mind, he wouldn’t be able to take on the brutal hits. He would be utterly annihilated by the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and David Robinson.
Shaquille O’Neal Has Always Been Skeptical Of Victor Wembanyama’s Future In The NBA
The San Antonio Spurs landed the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. It’s a no-brainer for the organization to draft Victor Wembanyama using their pick.
After all, Gregg Popovich will be the perfect coach to mentor Wembanyama during the start of his career in the NBA.
Anyway, speaking of Shaquille O’Neal’s thoughts on Wembanyama, the Lakers legend shed some light on why the Frenchman could struggle in the NBA.
“No, and I’m a bit skeptical because the good and bad thing about highlights,” Shaq said. “When you put your highlights on, you always show the good parts. I want to see this kid play a full game. He’s not very big — he’s tall, but he’s building up a lot of muscles, not that strong. He can shoot, he can dribble, he can do all that.
“But I’m only seeing highlights of him dunk the ball and shoot jumpers. I haven’t really seen a lot of post moves. We haven’t seen a lot of that stuff. So again, now you could be a star in France. When you come over here, you definitely got to start all over. A lot of guys have a lot of hype and came over here, some played out, and some didn’t. So I’m going to be more on the skeptical side like Charles.”
Wembanyama is undoubtedly the most hyped draft prospect since LeBron James in 2003. While James lived up to the hype and surpassed it in many aspects, there is no guarantee that Wembanyama will do the same.
Either way, he will be in the unprecedented spotlight from his first day in the league. Will Wembanyama become the superstar that he is touted to be? We will find out in a matter of a few years.
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