This season, San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama has met the hype that has been placed on him going back about 18 months when observers waited for him to enter the NBA.
The 7-foot-4 20-year-old is averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.4 blocked shots per game, and while his offensive game is very rudimentary at this point, his sky-high potential is as obvious as a giraffe at the San Antonio River Walk.
What makes Wembanyama even more intriguing is his mindset and attitude. He seems to hate losing with a passion, and he was already talking about wanting to win an NBA championship before he even played his first official game in the league.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich says the rookie has a poise that reminds him of the greatest player he ever coached — Tim Duncan.
In 19 NBA seasons, Duncan helped lead San Antonio to five world titles, and he was arguably as well-known for his low-key personality and lack of sass as he was for his accomplishments.
He became the greatest player in franchise history and arguably one of the 10 greatest players in the history of the sport by simply filling up the stat sheet at both ends of the floor on a consistent basis with no fuss or emotion.
In Wembanyama, the Spurs have a new franchise anchor and apparent future superstar who can take the organization far into the future and well beyond Popovich’s time with it.
Popovich, who has been its head coach since the 1996-97 season, recently signed an extension that will keep him with the Spurs through the 2027-28 season. By that point, Wembanyama will be a much better player than he is right now, yet he will be only 24 years of age and still a good distance away from entering his prime.
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