18-Year Old Victor Wembanyama Is A Generational Basketball Talent
On Tuesday, the basketball world burst into flames as the top two prospects in the 2023 NBA draft went head-to-head in Las Vegas. Victor Wembanyama, the projected number one pick, plays for Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A league in France. Scoot Henderson, the projected number two pick, plays for the G-League Ignite, a developmental team that provides an alternative route for some of the top players in the country coming out of high school.
Despite the matchup, the narrative after the game completely focuses on the generational talent that Victor Wembanyama showcased to the world in just one game. The 7-foot 4-inch prospect put up 37 points on 7/11 from three, 5 blocks, and 4 rebounds. He was bringing the ball up like a point guard, crossing over his defender with a silky smooth handle, running into catch-and-shoot threes, and strongly contesting every shot that comes within 15-feet of the basket.
At 18-years old, a 7'4" prospect that hasn’t even fully matured into his body yet only makes his skillset that much more impressive. Tuesday night officially began “a historic race to the bottom” for all NBA teams that are in full rebuild mode or so called “tanking”. Experts believe that the free agent and trade markets will ramp up significantly after seeing Victor Wembanyama’s first game on American soil, and rightfully so.
The teams that are projected to have the best odds at the number one pick in next year’s draft are the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and Oklahomy City Thunder. The Rockets and Thunder already have a great young core of players to build around, meanwhile the Spurs and Jazz have traded their star players away this summer and are in the first year of their rebuild.
Wembanyama is said to be “one of the most hyped prospects of all-time,” putting him in a class with LeBron James and Zion Williamson. LeBron will most likely be regarded as the greatest player of all-time by the time he retires and Zion is already a bonafide superstar who’s already broken records that players like Shaquille O’Neal or Wilt Chamberlain couldn’t break. Sky is the limit for the generational talent from France that is Victor Wembanyama.
