Wembanyama is OFFICIALLY as good as Anthony Davis???

The Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs faced off for the first time this season, and the match-up to watch was Victor Wembanyama vs Anthony Davis. LeBron James graciously missed this one, to keep the spotlight on the “present vs future” duel.

Anthony Davis (AD) is the most accurate comparison to Wembanyama. They both have exceptional handles for big men, decent shooting range, and similar body types. AD has since bulked up and accepted his center role.

It should be noted that Davis was reluctant to play center at first, and that was one of his demands when he was traded to the Lakers. That’s why the Lake Show signed guys like Dwight Howard and Javale McGee. However, as the game’s pace continued to quicken, it was clear that he would be most effective at the “5” spot. That’s putting it lightly, as Davis is probably the model of what a modern big man should be.

So it is just right for Wemby to emulate his game, but at the same time, check his weaknesses and learn from them. But while we compare them, are we even sure that Wembanyama can be as good as Davis?

Where the Similarity Ends

Both AD and Wemby were highly anticipated players, even seen as game changers. Davis was a freak of nature then, since he was a three-star recruit as a 6’2 guard in his sophomore year. Then he had a growth spurt (the Filipino dream!) and grew to 6’10 while retaining his guard skills by his senior year.

That’s what made him unique, as opposed to Wemby who had been scrutinized for his height since he was very young. But the onus was to make him “modern” with mobility, handles, and an outside shot. Right now, coach Greg Popovich and San Antonio are re-orienting him on how to be a big man, without the obsession for being modern.

Davis is a true game-changer, and when he shows flashes of what he can do, we can see why the Lakers traded away four years of rebuilding assets for him, not to mention draft capital. Teams like the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics would be beasts if they had someone like AD.

Wemby will eventually be good, and barring injury, dominant. But he cannot be AD, since he was playing in the dominant style of his era. He is not a game changer, at most he will be a taller version of AD. That’s a lot to hope for, and you can win titles with that, provided he won’t get bitten by the injury bug like Davis.

Why is Jalen Brunson so Good?

When you ask about who is the smartest player in the NBA, most likely, the popular answer is Luka Doncic. He is able to create shots even when he is not the quickest or most athletic. But his former teammate, Jalen Brunson, also showed up as a true franchise player once he left his shadow.

Brunson recently scored 50 points, a career-high. Julius Randle hilariously grabbed the game ball and made sure his teammate got it. While that may be a humorous response to a trending issue, it also showed how Brunson has endeared himself to the New York Knicks’ faithful and to his teammates.

Brunson does not have Luka’s charisma, but he doesn’t lack much else. He has the ability to create space and make unpredictable shots. But perhaps his best asset is that he stepped up to become the leader of a Knicks team that had no such player since the time of Carmelo Anthony.

Brunson was seen as an overpriced role player when he was pried away by the Knicks in free agency. He was never a first option on any team, even when he won a title with Villanova. That team had Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo (all three of them are playing in the Big Apple, with DiVincenzo joining him with the Knicks).

Along with the nepotism allegations concerning his max contract signing, Brunson had a lot to prove, but he has exceeded all expectations.