Victor Wembanyama has made an impression that people are unlikely to forget most suspect that the NBA is going to see a record number of teams tanking for the first overall pick next season. The Frenchman scored more than 35 points in both games against the G League Ignite, grabbing monster numbers of blocks as well. And his skill set is one that no one has ever seen in a 7’5″ player.
Wembanyama might be the most special talent to enter the league since LeBron James, he certainly has all the tools at his disposal to do so. And with all eyes on next season’s draft, there’s a lot of conversation about what Wembanyama might achieve in the league already. Some analysts are quite high on him, but not everyone, with certain concerns being raised as well.
Stephen A. Smith Compared Victor Wembanyama To Kevin Durant, Called Him A Poor Man’s Version
Stephen A. Smith is an outspoken analyst, to say the least, and he always has something intense to say on just about any topic that he is asked about. So when conversation about Victor Wembanyama invariably made it to his notice, his take on it was surprisingly a lot more reserved than might have been expected.
“When I think about this kid right here, he seems to me to be a poor man’s taller version of the great Kevin Durant. He’s got ball-handling skills. He’s got a J. He’s got a perimeter game. He can get to the hole. He has those skills. But he’s rail thin,” Smith said.
“And then that makes me think of Greg Oden. It makes me think of Sam Bowie. It makes me think of Chet Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in this past June’s draft that ain’t even playing this year because he’s out injured. We’ve seen big dudes who were relatively skinny … there is some trepidation. Of course, you gotta take this dude No. 1 at 7-foot-4 with those skills … but it worries me.”
Injury is indeed the only real concern with Wembanyama, he is a freak of nature in every sense of the word. Talents like him don’t come around very often, and even though really tall players have been prone to injury in the past, that doesn’t mean it will be the same for Wembanyama. If he stays healthy, there’s no telling just what he’ll be able to achieve in the NBA.
