How good is Victor Wembanyama: Rating Victor Wembanyama's pre-NBA career
Victor Wembanyama will enter the NBA as the most highly anticipated prospect since LeBron James. Standing at 7-foot-2, the versatile forward has the size to be a truly dominant player.
However, there remain some questions regarding his strength and ability to fight through contact - as is always the case with taller, thinner prospects.
Nevertheless, Wembanyama has a diverse skill set and is already drawing comparisons to Kevin Durant, due to his ability to score off the dribble and break his opponents down.
This season, Victor Wembanyama has been a dominant force for Metropolitans in France. In 34 games, the incoming rookie is averaging 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 3 blocks per game while shooting 47% from the field and 27.5% from deep.
If Wembanyama can average close to a double-double in his rookie season for the San Antonio Spurs, we can expect his stock to rise even further. Of course, there will undoubtedly be a learning curve for Wembanyama. Currently, the consensus number one draft pick is playing in the top basketball league in France, yet that isn't one of the premier European leagues.
As such, we should expect Wembanyama to have a settling-in period when he enters the NBA.
After all, the physicality, athleticism, and skill level will all be considerably higher than what he's faced in his career to this point. Fortunately, the NBA has never seen a player like Wembanyama, so opposing teams and defenses will take some time before they figure out how to best defend him.
Victor Wembanyama is set to miss Summer League
According to TJ Ellis of Spurs Talk, Victor Wembanyama will not be making his San Antonio Spurs debut at Summer League.
"As of right now, the Spurs expect Wembanyama to sit out the summer league games," Ellis wrote. "He may practice with the team but San Antonio wants him to rest after Metropolitans 92’s deep run in the postseason.
"Additionally, Wembanyama wants to play for the French national team this summer — so that makes it even more imperative for him to rest as much as possible during the month of July."
With Victor Wembanyama set to miss Summer League, teams will have to wait until the start of the season to collect film on his performances against NBA talent. Nevertheless, when you're 7-foot-2 with a tight handle, three-level scoring ability, and solid rim protection, scouting reports will only get opponents so far.
Wembanyama is so highly anticipated because the league has never seen such a diverse player with his size and skill set. As such, it's hard to imagine him not being the generational talent many of us have been told he will be.