San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is widely regarded as one of the best players in the league, despite only being 22 years old. While boasting tremendous potential, Wembanyama has been hailed as the future face of the league. Still, there may be greater expectations for the Spurs’ star.
With his potential, many believe that Victor Wembanyama could eventually enter the GOAT debate, which is typically reserved for transcendental players. While discussing the possibility of this on the “Game Over” podcast, Rich Paul proposed two conditions that would have to be met before he could be considered a candidate.
“It’s two things: If he stays healthy, and if people don’t try to penalize him for how it looks,” Paul stated. “Most people try to penalize you because it didn’t look like their GOAT. It’s just about his body of work. My answer is yes!”
Paul’s first condition seems like a given, but it is critical. The GOAT debate currently boils down to Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Throughout their careers, both Jordan and James managed to stay healthy for extended periods, enabling them to demonstrate their skills and dominance on the floor.
At 41, James is the gold standard of longevity in the NBA. Only 12 games away from surpassing Robert Parish (1,611 games) and becoming the NBA’s leader in most games played, LeBron James is truly in a league of his own.
In this department, Victor Wembanyama has faced some obstacles early on. Aside from a major blood clot issue last year, Wembanyama also suffers from recurring injuries that have limited his availability. While he has been comparatively healthier this season, he will need to sustain this to be considered a legitimate candidate.
Paul’s second condition was more intriguing, as it dealt with public opinion and comparison. With the assumption that the masses tend to create a template for their GOAT, they also create criteria that must be met.
Victor Wembanyama already challenges several preconceived notions about the game with his fluidity and versatility. Simply by virtue of being unlike anything the league has ever seen, Wembanyama’s case for being considered in the GOAT debate is susceptible to being rejected.
Realistically, this aspect has less to do with the player and more to do with audiences. To address this, all the Spurs’ center can do is stack his achievements by being healthy and competing at a high level.
For the 2025-26 season, Victor Wembanyama has been exceptional, averaging 24.0 points, 11.2 rebounds, and a league-leading 2.9 blocks per game in 44 appearances. With his performance, Wembanyama and the Spurs have secured second place in the West, asserting themselves as a potential title contender.
At 22 and only three years into his NBA career, Victor Wembanyama has barely begun realizing his true potential. While there is a long way for him to go before asserting himself as an all-time great, at the current juncture, Wembanyama’s growth is truly something to marvel at.
