Victor Wembanyama has put the NBA on alert since his debut only 10 days ago. The 19-year-old rookie is already turning heads around the league, impressing fans and vets alike. Despite being touted as the greatest draft prospect since LeBron James, things seemed uncertain. Wemby’s performances in the Summer League and the NBA preseason weren’t enough for critics, with many still on the fence about the 7’4 giant.
However, his recent performances against his idol, Kevin Durant, showed his true dominance in the game. A recent list shows the Rookie eclipsing promising names to snag a spot in the top-three.
Victor Wembanyama snags top spot on a new NBA list
In a new list titled, “NBA 25 under 25: The best young stars, ranked by future potential,” the French phenom claims a spot among the top-three. While his place on the list was never doubtful, his position at number three this early in his career might be surprising.
The elusive ranking features all the future superstars of the league. With names like Lamelo Ball, ranked at number 9, and Zion Williamson at number 7. Interestingly, even superstars such as Ja Morant are behind Wembanyama. The 7’4 Rookie ranks at number 3 just behind Anthony Edwards at 2. And topping the list is Luka Doncic, who has currently taken over this season.
Another notable name is Wembanyama’s Rookie of the Year competitor, Chet Holmgren, who is ranked 13th. Despite awe-inspiring performances recently, 7ft Holmgren is still a few steps behind Victor. With recent performances against KD himself, he has shown the NBA fans and players what he is actually capable of.
The Wemby show
The start of the regular season was slow for Wemby. However, in a standout performance against the Houston Rockets, the Frenchman started to show glimpses of NBA greatness in his performances. Meanwhile, in the games that followed, the rookie began establishing himself as a formidable rim protector as well as an offensive force. Notably, his standout performances came against the Suns when San Antonio won both games. The first one was a comeback win.
In the second match, Wemby went ballistic, taking over offense, scoring 38 points and 10 rebounds on the Suns. He became the only teenager apart from LBJ and KD to have a 35-plus points game with 10 rebounds. The prospects seem very exciting for the 19-year-old. However, the rest of the season will dictate the future.
Do you think Wembanyama will take over the NBA in the coming year? Will he be a rookie All-star? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
