Charles Barkley isn’t sold on Victor Wembanyama, who is expected to become the next big thing in the NBA.
The former NBA MVP recently voiced his doubts about Wembanyama once he makes it to the league.
“Everybody wants this kid and he looks like he’s great, but you really can’t tell until he gets to the NBA,” Barkley said on Inside the NBA, via Basket News.
“I don’t agree with all that, I think it’s going to be a huge adjustment. The physicality… I think it’s more physical than him playing against the Czech Republic,” Barkley added, referring to Wemby playing in a FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers game.
During that match, he posted 22 points, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, and 6 blocks for the French national team that could play the upcoming FIBA World Cup with Wembanyama, Joel Embiid and Rudy Gobert.
Barkley kept making his point, claiming that things will be different for the big man once he makes it to the league.
“I mean he’s going to be playing against grown men. And he’s going to have to guard those guys on the other end also, which is going to bring him into foul trouble.
“Listen, I been in the NBA for 40 years and I ain’t seen but one guy, one guy who didn’t go to college, who came in and who was ready, and that’s LeBron. Kobe was great, he struggled early. Kevin Garnett was great, he struggled early,” Chuck pointed out.
Barkley added that making all these comparisons might end up hurting Wemby’s chances to be successful in the league, and he used some examples of all the ‘next Michael Jordans’ we’ve seen over the years.
Chuck made it clear that he doesn’t know how good or bad Wembanyama will be, but he won’t make any statement hyping up the Frenchman until he proves his worth in the NBA.
LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo And Others Shower Victor Wembanyama With Praise
While Barkley had this to say about Wembanyama, other NBA legends and even current superstars have warned the rest of the league about Wemby and what he’s bringing to the table. Sure, he was recently posterized by a rival, but that’s something that every superstar has gone through during their careers.
Still, players like LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant said a lot of good things about Wemby.
Retired legends like Magic Johnson and Dirk Nowitzki also chimed in on this guy’s potential, making bold claims about his future in the league.
It’s pretty clear that the expectations are very high for Wemby, and he will have to meet or surpass them, but the last time a European player was doubted this much, he responded by taking the NBA by storm and becoming a superstar very quickly.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
