Is Victor Wembanyama Already Better Than LeBron James at 19?

All eyes were on Wednesday night this week. The battle of the greatest prospect and the man who formerly owned that title were to face off. For the first time in his career, Victor Wembanyama was to get the LeBron James experience. Both share a mutual respect for one another. James famously called Wemby an ‘alien’ even before he could step foot in the NBA. Subsequently, the 19-year-old wunderkind termed him an “icon”.

Infuriatingly, we NBA fans were robbed of the much-anticipated matchup that created a seismic buzz. James had to sit out the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs as he nursed a left calf injury. Nonetheless, we could see Wembanyama give a taste of what’s to come, and instead of the King, he went toe to toe with Anthony Davis.

After his 38-point masterful night against Kevin Durant, this was by far the 7’4 center’s best performance. He finished with a 30-point double-double but couldn’t secure the win. At just 19, he flaunted a maturity in his game that only a few greats displayed early in their careers – one of them being LeBron himself.

LeBron James was a phenom at 19

Before the Wemby craze, the only rookie who sent rumbles in the basketball landscape was a young and raw LeBron James. As a high schooler, he had already become a sensation filling out arenas. Soaring in his green St Vincent St Mary jersey, James took flight into the world of basketball mastery. ‘The Chosen One’, they deemed him.

From the very first glance, we knew the Akron kid was something special. Due to his advanced skillset, he earned an NBA call-up straight out of high school. The gap between him and any collegiate star was vast enough for the Cleveland Cavaliers to pick him number one. You have to remember, there was no prospect like James. He was far ahead of his time in terms of talent and his play style. Not only did he dominate as a scorer, but he involved everyone on the floor.

“What sets him apart as far as a basketball player is his feel and knowledge of the game. He has a feel for the game that most kids his age don’t have,” said his head coach at the time according to ESPN.

In his first NBA game, James scored 25, setting the tone for what was to come. It took a while for his game to materialize and adapt to the NBA, but it happened in that very season. That year the Cavaliers won 18 more games after having the worst record in the season a year prior. The 19-year-old prodigy won every Rookie of The Month award. It set up what would become one of, if not the greatest NBA career of all.

He became the youngest rookie to record a 40-point game in NBA history. His rookie averages put him alongside only Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson. Of course, he won the ROTY which to this day pundits argue should have gone to Carmelo Anthony.

Even at that young age, James’ game was somehow built for the pros. He had accurate vision for the open man, was selfless when attacking, and had one of his best defensive seasons (104 defensive rating). James had pogo sticks for legs and he was ridiculously fast, hence being compared to a freight train.

It was one of the most impressive rookie seasons of all time by far. Even with an unprecedented level of hype around, James managed to surpass expectations.

Victor Wembanyama is giving James’ rookie year a run for his money

Similar to James, Wemby was heralded as the greatest prospect since the modern-day legend. At 7’4″, he moved like a guard. Absurd highlights of him racing from the three-point line to dunk his own miss went viral. Brains were jumbled looking at this freak of nature. After winning MVP in the French league, Wembanyama arrived in San Antonio.

The expectations were clear, the ceiling set was prior legends. Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan – this was the company he is envisioned to join. At first, the magnitude of the moment seemed to overwhelm the 19-year-old who didn’t amaze on debut. He still had some ridiculous blocks, but that was the bare minimum perception for his size.

Once the nerves were gone, Wembanyama has settled into his role as the lead offensive anchor for the Spurs. In 21 games, he is averaging 18.8 points every contest, leading all rookies in his class. He is even beating LeBron James after a quarter of a season. The anomaly talent also leads rookies in rebounds, blocks, and steals.

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However, the Spurs haven’t benefited instantaneously as many thought they would. The NBA is a whole different league. The competition is stiff, intense, and in here, Wembanyama is still only a hyped prospect. He has had flashes of unstoppable plays, but it isn’t frequent. Yet, Wemby is leading the race among the rookies. Under the tutelage of the most successful NBA coach Gregg Popovich, the teenager is in safe hands.

Is Wemby better?

First, what is vital to clarify, it isn’t fair comparing these two campaigns. James entered the league when defense was rewarded whereas now Wemby is in an all-offense league. By those standards, we can’t find a suitable way to compare them. Sure, numbers tell a chapter, but they are far from the complete story.

Instead of the major stats, let’s go in-depth on the impact the two had as rookies. In 23 games so far, the Spurs and Wembanyama have only won three. It is a relatively young side but even then it is an appalling record with the availability of a generational prospect. However, a third of the season is still pending. Considering James’ Cavs started 5-15, time can have a major impact on the Spurs’ fortune.

While Wembanyama has held his own on offense, his numbers don’t wow anyone. In fact, he is having a rough start as a scorer. The Spurs are outscored by 159 points so far with him on the floor according to Inpredicatble. Instead, he has established himself as a fierce rim protector averaging the second most blocks in the league. Wemby has transcending gifts, but is still a raw prospect. He is learning the playbook, getting used to the newer environment, and settling into his gigantic hype.

That was one thing James was unflappable to. His game was always reminiscent of a veteran. He knew exactly what he was doing and it got better as time went on. That’s because LeBron James wasn’t just supremely talented, but also a basketball genius. He read the brains and always stayed a few steps ahead, the margin increasing as his career went on.

In his rookie year, the Cavs fed off James, All-Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and Carlos Boozer. They didn’t make the playoffs, but James became the soul of the team in that season.

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Hence, in the limited time Wemby has played, he isn’t surpassing what James did at 19. But we can’t write off a late-season bloom much like LeBron James had.