San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is undeniably one of the most exciting young prospects in the NBA. At only 22 years old, Wembanyama is already making waves as one of the best players in the league, with some even debating his reputation as the future face of the NBA.
Victor Wembanyama has arguably been the most exciting and impactful player drafted in recent history. But how valuable is he really? On a recent episode of the “Ringer” podcast, Bill Simmons and J. Kyle Mann put this to the test.
Simmons: “Hypothetically, would you rather have Wemby or the top two picks in this draft?”
Mann: “Wemby.”
Simmons: “Wemby, by far… Here’s a better question. Wemby or the top three picks in this draft? I’d still take Wemby.”
Mann: “Wemby. He’s on a GOAT arc. You take the GOAT arc.”
Simmons: “Wemby or the top four picks of the draft? I get all of them. I could even have Caleb Wilson. I still would take Wemby.”
Mann: “Peterson, Boozer, Dybantsa, and Wilson. What kind of a core is that? Like, if you took that core, and compared it to the cores of the rest of the league… That’d probably be the best young core, aside from the Spurs.”
At this point, both podcast hosts realized they were pushing it, but Simmons escalated the topic further and claimed he would only trade Victor Wembanyama for the top five picks in the 2026 NBA Draft.
On paper, Simmons’ starting five of rookies would be beyond impressive. According to recent projections, Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, and Kingston Flemings boast tremendous upside.
Peterson, who is expected to go first overall, is averaging 20.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. Meanwhile, Dybantsa, who has been gaining a lot of attention lately, is averaging 25.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game this season.
The likes of Boozer (22.4 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 4.2 APG), Wilson (19.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 2.7 APG), and Flemings (16.2 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.2 APG) have also generated some buzz, with Cameron Boozer emerging as a particularly intriguing prospect.
Still, is Bill Simmons overestimating Victor Wembanyama’s value?
Yes and no.
For obvious reasons, lottery picks are viewed through a different lens purely because of their potential to develop into star-caliber players. With up to four lottery picks in the same draft, a franchise could effectively transform its fate. However, this comes with its own set of risks.
There have been several cases where lottery picks haven’t panned out in the NBA. Keeping this in mind, putting such a price on Victor Wembanyama may not be as outrageous.
Just three years into his NBA career, Victor Wembanyama has already asserted himself as one of the best defensive players in the game. Having developed his offensive skill set over the offseason last year, the 22-year-old is now an elite two-way threat, regarded by some as the best in the league.
This season, Wembanyama is averaging 24.2 points, 11.0 rebounds, and a league-high 3.1 blocks per game while leading the Spurs to a 55-18 record.
With San Antonio emerging as a title contender and the young center being rated by many as a genuine MVP candidate, Simmons may be justified in selecting Wembanyama over the top four picks in the 2026 NBA Draft in this wild scenario.
