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When taking part in for a franchise that’s seen legends of the sport like Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginóbili go well with up, there are at all times going to be lofty expectations to fill.
Whenever you’re the primary general decide within the draft and one of the extremely touted prospects since LeBron James himself, these requirements bounce exponentially increased.
The San Antonio Spurs gained the draft lottery on the finish of the 2022-23 NBA season, and with it, 19-year-old phenomenon Victor Wembanyama. Whereas we’ve seen different current high picks fail to fill the sneakers they’re given, Wembanyama is moving into top-of-the-line conditions doable, a secure franchise (though the Spurs have struggled in current seasons) with an NBA Corridor of Famer in head coach Greg Popovich on the helm. The items are already in place for Wembanyama to succeed, however right here’s a take a look at further elements that would assist him come into his personal and attain his prescribed ceiling as one of many higher gamers in NBA historical past.
An Underrated Angle On Victor Wembanyama
One fascinating factor to bear in mind is how Parker will match into the image as Wembanyama adjusts to San Antonio. Born in Belgium, Parker grew up in France, attending highschool in Paris and taking part in professionally there earlier than the Spurs drafted him in 2001.
The 2 don’t have a lot in widespread on the court docket—Parker stands 6-foot-2, greater than a foot shorter than the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama (though they’ve each proven a penchant for scoring from the paint throughout their respective careers)—however their shared background might give Wembanyama an necessary mentor.
One factor that Parker might help with is instructing Wembanyama learn how to regulate to Popovich’s hard-charging teaching fashion. Popovich does his finest to unlock the expertise of the gamers he coaches, even when it doesn’t at all times make him standard, whether or not it’s turning Parker right into a two-way star or making an attempt to show Kawhi Leonard into a frontrunner. Parker and Popovich have been infamous for butting heads in the course of the former’s taking part in profession as Popovich did his finest to coax probably the most out of Parker’s expertise… even when it didn’t at all times sit effectively with the Belgian native.
Parker and Wembanyama have already interacted with one another fairly a bit, spending time collectively within the pre-draft course of when it grew to become clear that the Spurs had the highest decide.
They’ve additionally recognized one another for years, with Parker saying he knew Wembanyama and his household lengthy earlier than the 19-year-old grew to become a world celebrity.
Having an NBA Corridor of Famer with an identical background to him is a wonderful useful resource for Wembanyama to have in his court docket as he will get used to taking part in for Popovich.
Persevering with Growth
Whereas Parker may very well be an enormous assist for Wembanyama as he continues to regulate to the NBA, it’s additionally necessary for him to have sources shut at hand, ones in tune with what the Spurs are as much as. When Parker joined the Spurs, he had legends throughout him to study from like Duncan and Robinson: this version of the Spurs is a distinct story, as they’d one of many youngest rosters within the NBA on opening day final season, coming in at No. 3 with a mean age of 23.84 years.
One budding chief within the Spurs’ younger locker room is Keldon Johnson. Johnson is from Virginia and gained a gold medal with Crew USA in 2021. After a breakout 2021-2022 season Keldon Johnson signed a four-year, $80 million extension. You may wager his hometown followers can be utilizing Virginia Sportsbook promos to get in on the motion all NBA season. With the most important present cap hit on the Spurs’ roster, Johnson appears to be a long-term a part of San Antonio’s plans, cherishing the management function he took on final season.
How Victor Wembanyama Matches Up
As soon as once more, with a historical past of gifted huge males like Duncan and Robinson, the comparisons Wembanyama attracts to them are inevitable: right here’s a take a look at how they stack up. The obvious comparability that leaps out is measurement. Wembanyama is taller than Duncan and Robinson ever have been, however he’s lots lighter, weighing round 210 kilos. Each the elder Spurs sat round 250 kilos throughout their taking part in careers, serving to them grow to be dominant defensive presences (and a drive to be reckoned with when working down low).
Wembanyama has rejected the notion that he must bulk up, saying that he prefers his lanky construct: it’s doable to grow to be stronger with out constructing muscle mass, and it looks as if that’s what he desires to do. Wembanyama compares effectively to Robinson in relation to shot-blocking. It’s uncommon for a person of that measurement to have glorious mobility, however these two are an exception to that rule, with excessive defensive ceilings due to their potential to get again down the court docket.
Victor Wembanyama has obtained comparisons to Duncan as effectively for his all-around potential (particularly as he continues to develop), although it stays to be seen if he’ll have the identical clutch gene that Duncan had.
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