The hype for Victor Wembanyama reached a fever pitch the moment he entered the league. Hailed as a once-in-a-generation prospect, his incredible combination of size and skill made him the unquestioned choice for the first overall pick. Over his first two seasons, fans got a glimpse of the potential that could come to life.
But this year, he has exploded onto the scene, carrying the San Antonio Spurs to the second seed in the Western Conference. Looking like a legitimate MVP candidate, Wembanyama has sparked veteran analyst Bill Simmons to debate his season and where it ranks on the all-time list of the greatest 22-and-under seasons in NBA history.
An All-Star in his second season, it seemed like a matter of time before Wembanyama would take that jump to superstardom. But with a far more complete roster around him, his jump coincided with a meteoric rise for the San Antonio Spurs in the standings.
Victor Wembanyama’s Unprecedented NBA Season
Now the Spurs seem like a legitimate contender, and the French-born superstar is unquestionably the best defender in the sport. Add in an average of 24.3 points per game in 29.4 minutes a game while becoming a true three-level scorer, and the upside with Wembanyama is bizarre.
For a true historian like Simmons, who emphasizes each era of basketball, the season is remarkably special in a way few others have ever been. “What’s at stake for Wemby here is that he has a chance to win the MVP.”
Bringing out a bunch of names, Simmons compared the likes of Magic Johnson, Tim Duncan, and Kobe Bryant to the levels Wemby was already reaching, thanks to San Antonio’s success. When comparing from a personal production standpoint, names like Derrick Rose and Wes Unseld were the first ones out of Simmons’ mouth.
But the point of the matter was simple. “He’ll finish top two and has a chance to win the [NBA] title, which is rarified air. I think that’s the territory he’s in, and it feels weird to have all these names from the first 80 years of the league, and be like, ‘Holy s**t, those are the best names we have.’ But I do think that’s what we’re watching.”
It remains to be seen if Wembanyama can scale those heights or even eclipse them. With zero playoff games under his belt, the level of play in the postseason could certainly be an uphill climb for him. However, he has already shown the potential of what he can become.
If he can take the Spurs on a deep run, or potentially even win the title as Simmons alluded to, while being the lone superstar on the team, then every hyperbole associated with him would immediately become a legitimate possibility.
