After a grueling summer marked by intense training under the guidance of NBA legends, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama is expected to make a huge jump this season. With Kevin Garnett being one of his advisors this offseason, the former NBA champion has massive expectations for the 21-year-old. But while speaking on a recent episode of “KG Certified” with Paul Pierce, Garnett explained why he was so invested in Wembanyama’s growth.
When asked about what he worked on with the Spurs big man this summer, Garnett said, “He’s on a journey to seek knowledge. He doesn’t want to be in the box of that French player, blah, blah, blah. He’s trying to break that whole narrative. He’s changing the way we look at the five position … Victor is bringing a different level of guard/small forward to the big man position.”
At 7’5″ and potentially taller per recent updates, Victor Wembanyama is certainly a physical specimen. However, he possesses an intriguing blend of finesse and power, which, according to Kevin Garnett, makes him a unique mix of Shaquille O’Neal and Kevin Durant.
Pierce wasn’t convinced by this comparison, but Garnett was far from finished with his statement. When asked whether Victor Wembanyama would be in the MVP discussion, Garnett responded, “Absolutely! And he leads the league with eight blocks!”
“He wants to be something outside of the box,” he continued. “He’s about to be something different that we ain’t never seen. We’ve never seen somebody face up in the post, the Shamm [Shammgod], we ain’t seen somebody snatch it- Lord, we ain’t seen some of this.”
Pierce added that the only thing left for Wembanyama to do was get stronger, and Garnett stepped in again to take credit for what he could offer to the 21-year-old. With his mentality and strength, Garnett acted as a guide for the Spurs’ big man, imparting valuable wisdom upon him.
Will Victor Wembanyama Be In The MVP Race?
Victor Wembanyama is undoubtedly one of the most gifted players the league has ever seen. Having placed second in DPOY voting in only his rookie season, while leading the league in blocks, Wembanyama has already established that he is a contender for the DPOY award.
But does he have what it takes to enter the MVP race?
For all intents and purposes, Wembanyama is primed to be among the best players in the league this season. At 21, the Spurs center boasts immense two-way potential. When factoring this in with his forward-like style of play, he is effectively unguardable in most settings.
The results of his training have been telling in the preseason, as he averaged 17.0 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.0 blocks per game on 65.9% shooting overall and 50.0% from deep in 20.4 minutes.
Given that he can be a significant contributor for San Antonio this season, especially with the team they have, Victor Wembanyama has a fair chance of contending for the MVP award. The only real challenge for the big man is staying healthy and playing enough games to be eligible.
This aspect will truly be a test of time. But the 21-year-old will begin this journey in the Spurs’ opening night matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at 9:30 p.m. ET.
