There are several intriguing storylines for this upcoming NBA season, and one of the biggest ones is San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama. He is the most hyped player to come into the league since LeBron James in 2003, and many feel the sky is truly the limit for him.
On the other hand, he is 19 years of age and has the build of a popsicle stick, and therefore many feel it will take him a few years to become whatever he will emerge as.
The Spurs are coming off a 22-60 record last season, and although they do not have a great supporting cast around Wembanyama, the French phenom is aiming high in terms of team success right away.
“The ideal start would already be the playoffs,” said Wembanyama. “For the rest… the best thing is not knowing. I hope it will surprise me and it will be beautiful. It’s no secret that it’s hard to win a ring. But I’m patient, and I know it will happen. Not winning my first few years is no barrier to becoming a Hall of Famer or winning five later.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Victor Wembanyama & San Antonio Spurs Updates
The 7-foot-4 big man played only two games in NBA Summer League in July, but in his second contest there, he showed his immense potential by scoring 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting and adding 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.
He has lucked out big-time by being drafted by the Spurs, who are still coached by Gregg Popovich, the same man who coached Hall of Fame big men David Robinson and Tim Duncan to multiple world championships.
Some are concerned that Wembanyama, who weighs just 209 pounds, may be doomed to an injury-plagued career due to his skinny frame, much like Ralph Sampson, who was also 7-foot-4 and played just three full seasons before chronic knee ailments did him in.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Victor Wembanyama & San Antonio Spurs Updates
It seems next to impossible for the Spurs to make the playoffs this coming season and have the type of turnaround they enjoyed during the rookie seasons of both Robinson and Duncan. The Western Conference will be tougher than it was last year, and they have one of the NBA’s younger rosters, which doesn’t bode well as far as winning key games in March and early April.
Then again, if Wembanyama is ahead of schedule as a rookie, San Antonio just may surprise some people.
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