After splitting the back-to-back games in San Antonio, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers head back home with a 15-11 record on the season. In the locker room after the second game, James gave some parting thoughts on the new-look Spurs and drew some attention as he spoke on Victor Wembanyama.
“Nothing that’s changed on what I already said about [Victor Wembanyama] previously,” said James on his first impressions of Wemby. “[He’s] a special talent and they’ve got a good one there.”
LeBron didn’t say much at all about Wemby following tonight’s game
Said nothing’s changed from when he’s praised Wemby before. Wemby believes LBJ was first to call him an ‘Alien’ because of his uniqueness. James says the 2 didn’t talk while Lakers were here
“A special talent”⬇️ pic.twitter.com/V2hs7BEblD
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) December 16, 2023
Like James, Wembanyama entered the league with a ridiculous level of hype. Touted for his lengthy size and guard-like skills, Wembanyama is arguably the most impressive prospect since LeBron James himself. Victor still has a long way to go before he’s even close to LeBron’s level but Friday’s win over the Lakers provided a glimpse at what Wembanyama could be in the future and he’s got the whole world on notice. This season, it will be interesting to see how Wemby develops his game and if he’s able to lead the Spurs to any kind of run after a 4-20 start.
How Good Is Wembanyama?
During his tenure with the Metropolitans 92, Wembanyama took the NBA world by storm with a dominant showing. As the face and leader of the team, Victor proved that he could thrive as the number one option and got much-needed experience against tough, professional-level defenses. So far, in the NBA, Wembanyama is showing much of the same skills he did in Europe, and his place at the top of the rookie leaderboard shows just how impressive he’s been already through the first 23 games.
To date, Wembanyama is averaging 19.0 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game on 43.5% shooting. Even amid a horrendous showing from the Spurs, Wemby has fulfilled his obligation on both ends of the floor this season and looks to be every bit as good as advertised. This season, LeBron joins others like Kevin Durant, Luka Doncic, and Shaquille O’Neal as fans of the young Euopean. The only problem for Wembanyama now is finding a way to win on a roster that is starving for NBA-level talent.
The Work Begins For San Antonio
Now that the Spurs have their franchise guy, the hard work can begin of filling out the roster and building a competitive rotation around him. Currently, only a few players on the Spurs are worth keeping around: young swingman Jeremy Sochan and sharpshooting guard Devin Vassell.
Everyone else is seemingly up for grabs in San Antonio, but it remains to be seen which players the Spurs can even get. This season, with limited options available, the team has no choice but to accept what they are. This summer, however, the expectation is that the Spurs will take another step forward, whether by the draft, through trades, or in free agency with a mid-level deal. But for once you have a generational talent like Victor Wembanyama on your team, the clock officially begins on building a competitive team before it’s too late.
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