In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder, Victor Wembanyama stamped his presence as the next great NBA superstar.
Wembanyama officially arrived after dropping 41 points and 24 rebounds in the Spurs’ double-overtime win over the Thunder.
Speaking on All The Smoke, Carmelo Anthony explained how Wembanyama is on a different level than LeBron James in terms of just what he did in Game 1 at 22 years old.
“I’ve never seen anything up close and personal like that,” Anthony said, via HoopsHype. “I came in the game with LeBron James. I’ve seen LeBron James, and we thought we ain’t never seen LeBron James before. This is different. This is on a whole different level than what we felt about LeBron James.”
It’s a huge compliment for Wembanyama’s stake as being the best player in the world, when someone like Anthony, a contemporary of “The King,” said that the Spurs superstar was on a different level.
As long as Wembanyama remains healthy and has a long career, he’s projected to become one of the greatest players in NBA history.
Another NBA Legend’s Take on Victor Wembanyama
Speaking on the No Fouls Given podcast last week, Paul Pierce was nothing short of amazed at Victor Wembanyama and his potential. Pierce further explained that Wemby is the most complete basketball player he has ever seen, and the Spurs superstar is just in his third NBA season.
“This is the best basketball player I’ve ever seen play,” Pierce said, via Air Alamo on FanSided. “He is the most complete player we’ve ever seen play the game. Like, we can talk about Bron, Jordan, Joker, but he is the most complete player in the history of the game.”
At just 22 years old, Wemby might already be the best player in the world. He still has a lot to learn, and his first playoff experience is expected to take him to the next level.
Regardless if the Spurs win the title this year or not, the NBA world seems set to get invaded by The Alien.
Victor Wembanyama’s GOAT potential
Speaking on Fox Sports’ First Things First, veteran analyst Chris Broussard believes Victor Wembanyama has the potential to topple Michael Jordan and LeBron James as the greatest of all time.
“You mentioned the ESPN article about LeBron and Jordan, the GOAT debate and all that,” Broussard said, via Basketball Network. “Here’s what I’m going to say about Wemby: He could make that debate irrelevant. He’s potentially that good. He could make the Jordan-LeBron debate for #2… He potentially could be the GOAT.”
While it’s not a wild take, Wembanyama is an anomaly due to his length, size and skill. He’s already the best defensive player in the NBA today and could further improve his offense next season.
Wemby finished third in MVP voting this year behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic. However, he’s more than ready to take over, especially if he leads the Spurs to the title in just his third season in the league.
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