The 2023 NBA Draft could be one of the most impactful drafts in NBA history. The draft class is quite deep and has a lot of fantastic talent that would be top picks in any other year. The projected 2nd pick is Scoot Henderson, a point guard who is being compared with the likes of Ja Morant. But the real prize at No. 1 is Victor Wembanyama.
Wembanyama has proven his ability translates to the NBA rule set during preseason games against the G League Ignite. His back-to-back 35+ point performances have generated comments from LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and more. Another former league and Finals MVP has commented on him, Stephen Curry.
"He’s like the 2K Create-A-Player"
Steph’s scouting report on Victor Wembanyama 😂 pic.twitter.com/9MFexK5sFY
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) October 6, 2022
“He’s solid, he’s solid. He’s like the 2K create-a-player. Every point guard that wants to be seven-foot, cheat-code type vibes. He’s a solid talent. It’s great to watch. They had a pretty entertaining game with the Ignite team, so it was dope.”
When Wembanyama is hitting the corner fadeaway 3s, like Curry hits, despite being a foot taller, it was bound to come to the attention of the reigning Finals MVP. The new generation is coming and is going to be incredibly hard to stop.
Could Victor Wembanyama Struggle To Transition?
The French prodigy played against a G League team and constantly is challenged by inferior opponents in the French league. There is a case to be made for Victor to have an adjustment period with his frame and the strength of NBA players.
That is a fair argument that many people will make, but Wembanyama might just be the exception to every rule we have seen. You can’t teach a wingspan like his and he would be a lottery pick with that alone. His ability to dribble, move, shoot, pass, block shoot and everything that’s required to succeed is almost perfect at his age.
If he stays healthy, he can be considered a lock to fundamentally affect the NBA. He’s going to have a massive tankathon for the rights to draft him anyway, so the change is coming much sooner than we realize.
