Carmelo Anthony believes Victor Wembanyama is about to take over the NBA. Speaking on the 7PM In Brooklyn podcast, the 10-time All-Star predicted that the Spurs phenom will win MVP this season, saying his mix of skill, size, and dominance makes him unlike any player the league has ever seen.
“I predict he’s the MVP this year,” Anthony said. “I say that because every category that there is, he can lead this season. They’ve never seen anything like Wilt until Kareem and you never seen anything like Kareem until Shaq. We’ve never seen no sh*t like Shaq before, a physical prowess specimen like Shaq. We’ve never seen a LeBron before. And we’ve never seen Wemby. That’s MVP. He went to all the infinity stones; went to Hakeem, went to Garnett… and we ain’t seen the alien yet.”
At just 21 years old, Victor Wembanyama is already on the fast track to superstardom. Over two seasons in the NBA, he’s averaging 22.5 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.8 blocks per game on 46.9% shooting. As the 2024 Rookie of the Year and a one-time All-Star, Victor has already been recognized for his rising status in the league but capturing the MVP award would put him in a whole new category of greatness.
With Wemby turning 22 in January, it’s already too late for him to surpass Derrick Rose’s record as the youngest MVP ever but it would still be a remarkable feat for someone with such limited NBA experience. What’s even crazier is that Victor only played 46 games in 2024-25 due to blood clots that cut his season short. It was a tough break that effectively ended the Spurs’ season, but they are hopeful for better days ahead.
Now that he’s fully healthy with another offseason under his belt, Victor can continue his development and we saw glimpses of greatness earlier this week, during the Spurs‘ game against the Pacers. In just 24 minutes of action, he dropped 27 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists on 69.2% shooting in the 124-108 win.
Wembanyama was absolutely dominant in the game and the Spurs looked like a potential dark-horse contender in the West. If it goes on like that, Wemby will surely be in the running for MVP but he’ll have steep competition at the top. Against stars like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Nikola Jokic, standing out won’t be easy but Victor has the skills and the mindset to pull it off.
Most importantly, he has the signature play style that every MVP winner needs. Unlike most young stars his age, Victor Wembanyama is doing things we haven’t seen before and it has completely shifted the balance of power. For the first time since the days of Tim Duncan, the Spurs are on the radar again and how they finish could determine how this season is remembered for their biggest star.
If Victor Wembanyama stays healthy and continues producing at this level, Carmelo Anthony’s prediction might not sound so crazy by season’s end. The Spurs finally have a generational player to build around again, and with Wemby leading the charge, San Antonio could be entering a new golden era faster than anyone expected.
