"He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great" - 3x Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert lists factors which make Victor Wembanyama special

Victor Wembanyama is projected to be the top pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. Many believe that he is the best NBA prospect since LeBron James. According to three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, the 18-year-old has all the tools to flourish in the NBA.

In an interview with NBA's Mark Medina, Gobert said:

I’ve known Victor since he was 13 years old. He’s a great kid. He’s very wise. Obviously, he has all the tools. But what makes him special is his mindset and his spirit.

"He’s passionate about the game. He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great. He’s putting all of that together and working really hard to get to that level. It’s been really cool to watch him grow."

Gobert continued:

"The first time I watched him play. We all knew he would be special. But the real question was how far and how special? These last few days, we can all agree that he’s going to be something unique.

"As soon as I got to speak with him and understand his mindset, I knew he would be great. He has all of the tools, but the mentality is the most important tool. He has that."

Rudy Gobert added that standing next to Victor Wembanyama, who is a few inches taller than him, made him feel like a 'normal person'.

Mark Medina

@MarkG_Medina

.@rudygobert27 on Victor Wembanyama: "What makes him special is his mindset and his spirit. He’s passionate about the game. He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great." on.nba.com/3fUDzNk

8

1

.@rudygobert27 on Victor Wembanyama: "What makes him special is his mindset and his spirit. He’s passionate about the game. He wants to be great, and he knows what it takes to be great." on.nba.com/3fUDzNk

Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama played against each other in 2020

Victor Wembanyama is expected to join Rudy Gobert, Joakim Noah, and Tony Parker as the only French-born players to make an All-Star and All-NBA team. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Gobert visited Wembanyama during a practice session.

At just 16-years-old at the time, Wembanyama put fans on notice as he displayed a wide variety of skills against Gobert.

Nanterre 92

@Nanterre92

Allez on commence, le 2vs2 à commencé comme ça ...

@rudygobert27 @viinze_17P

#WeAreJSF

936

205

Allez on commence, le 2vs2 à commencé comme ça ... 👀

@rudygobert27 @viinze_17P

#WeAreJSF https://t.co/cRMaQzLKRT

Fans made a note of of how easily Wembanyama was able to shoot over the 7'1 Gobert.

Ben Golliver

@BenGolliver

7’1” center Rudy Gobert says “I feel good, I feel small” next to 7’4” French countryman Victor Wembanyama

185

47

7’1” center Rudy Gobert says “I feel good, I feel small” next to 7’4” French countryman Victor Wembanyama https://t.co/TSJDvjni79

While Wembanyama currently stands at 7'4, it is possible that he could continue to grow given his age. With a game that seemingly has no holes, his combination of size and skill leads many to believe that he is going to be the NBA's next big star.

Watch Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert play 1-on-1 below:

​