To say there’s a lot of hype surrounding Victor Wembanyama would be an understatement.
Not only is the French center projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, but he’s also one of the most hyped prospects the NBA has seen in a very long time.
Put it this way: Wembanyama recently measured 7-foot-4 barefoot with an 8-foot wingspan. He uses that length to block everything around the basket, but he’s still nimble enough to defend the perimeter. Oh, and he plays like a forward on offense. He has a silky smooth jumper and the handle to create for himself off the dribble.
Ask him, and he’ll tell you he has some Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert in his game. That’s two members of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year for those keeping count.
There’s no doubt Wembanyama has all of the tools to be a superstar in the NBA, but is he the best prospect the league has seen since LeBron James in 2003? Our TSN staff weighs in.
Fact or fiction: Victor Wembanyama is the best NBA Draft prospect since LeBron James
Kyle Irving (@KyleIrv_): My answer is, without a doubt, fact.
When thinking about some of the most highly anticipated prospects since LeBron, my mind immediately goes to guys like Anthony Davis or Zion Williamson, and I believe Wembanyama is further along in his development than either of those two players.
Davis was a freak as a freshman at Kentucky, leading the Wildcats to a National Championship. But despite his dominance on the defensive end (averaging 4.8 blocks per game), there were plenty of concerns about how his offensive game would translate to the NBA. While he would eventually become a true inside-out threat, Davis wasn’t capable of handling the ball or creating his own shot with the fluidity that Wembanyama does.
As for Williamson, for as physically dominant as he was at Duke, there were always questions about his ability to defend in the NBA. Because of injuries and lack of availability, those questions still have not been answered to this day.
The only concerns around Wembanyama are durability-related, which is inevitable for a person as large as he is. When it comes to his talent and skill set on the court, there aren’t many knocks on the phenom prospect’s game.
Gilbert McGregor (@GMcGregor21): While there have been a number of notable draft prospects in the past 20 years, Wembanyama tops the list.
Similar to Kyle, I think of Davis, Williamson and even Luka Doncic (who, in hindsight, probably should have gone first overall!) as the other draft prospects that had this kind of immeasurable hype before even stepping on an NBA floor.
That said, the hype surrounding Wembanyama feels different. And that’s for good reason.
In today’s era, information spreads within seconds — more often than not, phenomenons come and go once the masses become bored with them and infatuated with the next. It’s been years since we first heard of Wembanyama, and because we have never seen anyone like him before, he’s remained at the forefront of basketball fans’ minds ever since.
Wembanyama’s unique physical profile and basketball gifts make him a true one-of-one and a literal can’t-miss prospect. Similar to LeBron 20 years ago, we know whichever team is fortunate enough to land Wembanyama will immediately turn their fortunes around.
That’s the measure of his stature as a prospect.
Jordan Greer (@jordangreer42): Look, NBA Draft experts don’t always nail their evaluations. But when a lot of smart people are telling you the same thing, maybe you should listen.
- Trail Blazers executive and former ESPN analyst Mike Schmitz: “I’ve long considered the 18-year-old French big man the best prospect I’ve personally ever evaluated.”
- The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie: “It’s difficult to say anything other than that Wembanyama’s ceiling is higher than that of anyone who has entered the league in a while. These tools are just so outrageous.”
- SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell: “The 2023 NBA Draft will be all about Victor Wembanyama, the best prospect since LeBron.”
- Yahoo Sports’ Krysten Peek: “Wembanyama is the most talked-about prospect among NBA scouts and executives since LeBron James in 2003 and is the runaway favorite for the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft by a mile. The French native will be the biggest and most talented import from overseas ever, trumping Luka Doncic and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.”
Gil and Kyle mentioned some stellar prospects from previous years. Wembanyama may never hit the NBA peak of someone like Davis, Doncic or Williamson. There will be injury concerns because of his frame, and he may simply not live up to the hype. Again, this is an (educated) guessing game.
As far as where Wembanyama stands right now, though, I have to agree with my colleagues. He is the best prospect we’ve seen since 2003.