San Antonio Spurs superstar rookie Victor Wembanyama is unlike any player we’ve ever seen in the NBA, but a former NBA champion believes one of the game’s greatest legends is an apt comparison for the young Frenchman.
Metta Sandiford-Artest, formerly known as Metta World Peace and Ron Artest, said he believes Wembanyama’s ceiling is pretty much limitless while on FanDuel’s Run It Back.
“At some point in time, he’s going to have a Wilt Chamberlain type of season. At some point in time, we’re going to see something that’s going to be boring. They’re going to try to change the rules because he’s going to be in a rhythm, he’s going to be thick. You’re not going to be able to move him at some point,” Sandiford-Artest said. “He’s already durable. He’s fallen, he’s not spraying an ankle. I think you’ll see some quadruple doubles, I think you’ll see dominance. And don’t let him get some shooters around him.”
In his rookie season, Wembanyama has lit up the stat sheet. He’s averaging 20.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and a league-leading 3.3 blocks in just 28.5 minutes per game. He has also recorded a triple-double and a five-by-five in his last five games, showing why he was considered one of the greatest prospects in NBA draft history.
Wembanyama blocked 10 shots, in addition to posting 27 points and 14 rebounds on Feb. 12 against the Toronto Raptors to record his second triple-double of the season. And on Friday, he tallied 27 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks against the Los Angeles Lakers to achieve five-by-five, considered to be one of the rarest feats in the league. He is just the second rookie in NBA history to record a five-by-five.
Sandiford-Artest’s praise is even greater considering he has seen plenty of great players in his 17 NBA seasons, including Kobe Bryant, whom he won the 2010 NBA championship with as a member of the Lakers.
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