Projected No. 1 pick makes Wizards star look tiny in viral photo
As an NBA forward, there are not too many scenarios where Washington Wizards star Kyle Kuzma typically finds himself feeling small. However, Victor Wembanyama isn't your typical NBA prospect. Checking in well above seven feet tall, the 19-year-old French basketball phenom is no stranger to towering over even the largest of athletes—Kuzma being no exception.
On Wednesday, Kuzma shared a photo of himself posing alongside Wembanyama, with the caption "My dawggg @wemby special!!!... but I'm mad you make me look like a point guard."
Exact measurements on Wembanyama's current height have varied, although ESPN's Brian Windhorst and Jonathan Givony noted back in February that Wembanyama is 7-foot-5 inches in shoes. Pair his height with an 8-foot wingspan and the movement skills of a guard, and there's no surprise Wembanyama looks to be a shoo-in for the No. 1 overall selection by San Antonio Spurs in June.
As for Kuzma, while he may always need to look up at Wembanyama, the Michigan native has a whole ton to look forward to this offseason. According to Spotrac, Kuzma will be eligible to ink a five-year $194 million max contract with the Wizards—an enormous uptick from the $39 million deal he's played on over the past three seasons.
At 27 years old, the combo forward is fresh off a 2022-23 campaign where he established himself as one of Washington's top players. The Wizards would be wise to re-up Kuzma and his career-high 21.2 points per game average. However, if Kuzma's pricetag becomes too much for Washington to swallow, they may be opening the door for a Kuzma-Wembanyama team-up in San Antonio.
High available cap space teams such as the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic and Spurs could all financially make a run at Kuzma. The latter is projected to own a practical cap space of $43.5 million, the third-most in the NBA.
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