Victor Wembanyama entered the NBA as one of the most talked-about prospects in league history. This created immense pressure to live up to lofty expectations; however, Wembanyama is proving everyone right, including NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, in the 2025-26 campaign.
Paul Pierce Praises Victor Wembanyama for Meeting Draft Expectations
Pierce gave his thoughts on Wembanyama’s impressive play during a recent episode of his “No Fouls Given Podcast” with Danny Green and Wosny Lambre. The 10-time All-Star spoke highly of the San Antonio Spurs superstar.
“It’s nothing short of remarkable. This is what we talked about, this is what the hype was all about. We knew about Wemby two years before he got here. What we are starting to see is him live up to the hype that he was garnering before he got to the NBA, and that’s tough when that type of pressure is on you,” explained Pierce.
Wembanyama was regarded as a generational talent from France. The world marveled at the then-teenager’s ability to impact almost every facet of the game at 7-foot-4. The San Antonio Spurs officially list the two-time All-Star at 7-foot-4 this season.
He handles the ball, shoots off-the-dribble contested 3-pointers over other centers, and causes many opposing slashers to think twice about going up for a shot near the rim.
Paul Pierce on Victor Wembanyama living up to the hype that he was getting before he got to the NBA:
“It’s nothing short of remarkable. This is what we talked about, this is what the hype was all about. We knew about Wemby 2 years before he got here. What we are starting to see… pic.twitter.com/duP1AWbFeH
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 30, 2026
Wembanyama is averaging 24.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and a whopping 3.1 blocks this season. He led the association in blocks per game in each of his first two campaigns. In 2024-25, he played just 46 games due to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder.
He resumed on-court activities in July 2025 and improved many aspects of his game this season. The Spurs finished 13th in the Western Conference last season with a 34-48 record. However, with a healthy Wembanyama, San Antonio now sits at 56-18 as the No. 2 seed heading into the 2026 playoffs, 2.5 games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Wembanyama’s physical attributes, robust skill set, and hunger for greatness put the Spurs back in title contention. Pierce knows how hard the 22-year-old center worked to get to this level.
“He made out to be the next, and for him to do the things he’s doing today, shows the hard work that he’s put in and living up to the hype, because that’s hard to do,” said Pierce.
Most superstars brush off MVP talk during the campaign, often talking around the subject, but not Wembanyama. He boldly stated three reasons why he deserves the league MVP this season.
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“My first one would be that defense is 50% of the game, and that is undervalued so far in your race. I believe I’m the most impactful player defensively in the league. My second argument would be that we almost swept OKC in the season … My third argument would be that offense impact is not just points,” said Wembanyama confidently.
Whether Wembanyama takes home the MVP or not, his talent is undeniable, and he will create problems for opposing teams for years to come.
