Victor Wembanyama is touted to become the next big thing in the NBA. The NBA community got to see Wembanyama in action for the first time after his games in the Summer League.
While most acknowledge Wembanyama’s raw talent, they still want the French phenom to put on some muscle to survive the league’s physicality. NBA legend Jerry West recently gave similar advice to Victor Wembanyama in an episode of ‘The Dan Patrick Show.’
“Just gain some weight,” West said. “He explains himself really well; he is unbelievably polished. I think after the first game I saw him play in the summer league, I would say I went there, and maybe because of all the hype, I was expecting to see a little bit more. He got up with the writers afterwards, and how many times do you see an athlete say, ‘I didn’t play my best game; I think I’m going to get better going forward’… but he did that.”
West added: “He’s fun, he’s got a smile on his face, but the way he will represent not only the Spurs but the league is that, to me is what’s going to make him really special.”
(Starts at 5:07)
Wembanyama’s Summer League was far from impressive. He had just 9 points on 2-of-13 shooting vs. the Charlotte Hornets. The 19-year-old owned up to his mistake and had a great bounce-back game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers.
He put up 27 points, 12 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal while shooting 9-of-14 from the field. Following the sensational second Summer League game, the San Antonio Spurs shut him down.
Jerry West Thinks Victor Wembanyama Is A Bigger Bill Russell
Victor Wembanyama is yet to make his NBA debut, but his comparisons to legends have already started.
Jerry West watched Victor Wembanyama Wembanyama’s Summer League debut and hailed him as a bigger Bill Russell.
“You rarely see someone that combines his brain and his ability. Just watching him play, it’s an easy game for him to play, very easy and it never looks like he is working. If you watch really great players, it never looks like they’re working hard. When you watch him defensively, he ruins games.
“He reminds me a little bit of a bigger Bill Russell with a big reach, coming from everywhere… any offensive player is gonna have to be really cautious about where he is because he’s gonna mess up some offenses, that’s for sure.”
While West dropped a huge comparison for Wembanyama, he still knows the Spurs prospect has a long way to go. That’s the reason why he believed Kobe Bryant was better than Victor Wembanyama at 19 years old. Will Wembanyama ever surpass Kobe’s legacy in the NBA? We’ll find out over the course of his career.
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