The NBA’s vintage cavalry, LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant remain on board for now, but for how long? Their lifespan as a hooper is on the verge of ending. Awaiting is an entire generation of freak young athletes eager to take the baton. But who gets the claim on the hot seat? To get an insight from voices within the biggest league, Tim Bontemps held his annual survey asking execs and scouts about their picks. A certain Victor Wembanyama took the majority of applause over the likes of Jayson Tatum.

It was revealed that 18 representatives were posed with the question of who would be the best player in the NBA after 5 years. 12 of them sided with Wemby. Two MVP contenders, Shai and Doncic, received two votes each, while Nikola Jokic and Anthony Edwards took home a single hand of support. Brian Windhorst, however, didn’t mind the picking order, stating it wasn’t a ‘surprise’ to see the 7’4″ French center on top.

“As you say in the story, not surprising Wembanyama is the leader after what we’ve seen this last six months, including the Olympics,” Brian said on The Hoop Collective. To which Bontemps replied, “I think the better question is when will Victor Wenbanyama not be the answer to this question,” and Windhorst immediately said, “Well, health.”

The former No. 1 pick has a commanding case to carry the torch in the coming years. Remember, he is only 20. Yet he recorded a game-high 26 points in the Gold medal game and could be termed as the only reason France remained in the hunt. He will spend time with Chris Paul, a master technician, and high-IQ basketball player who will mentor the Spurs giant to realize his true potential.

But what about the snubs of the list? The biggest name that jumps out is the man who has the most postseason experience and is the only one sparing Nikola Jokic to have an NBA Champion under his belt. It’s the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum. Only MacMahon took a stand for the stellar forward, who is coming off an All-NBA First Team season. However, his inactivity during the Paris Olympics drastically affected his reputation, leading many to believe he might not be capable of driving the NBA.

Even though there’s no one within the league, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has been a passionate advocate for Tatum. He even wanted the Celtics forward to be crowned as the MVP, essentially for the way he led the Shamrocks to the best record in the NBA.

On the contrary, JT might be preparing for something devastating. Shortly after returning from Paris, Celtics fans were fuming over Steve Kerr’s decision to not play Tatum regularly. He then posted a picture of a tweet that read “We will avenge Jayson Tatum.”

Maybe it was his declaration for vengeance. And seeing the list is about the future, Jayson Tatum can have the opportunity to stake his claim as the best player when the Olympics head to LA in 2028. But will he opt to play?

Jayson Tatum is unsure about his 2028 participation, putting the Wemby clash in doubt

After the heartbreak France suffered at home, Victor Wembanyama is probably mapping out his personal revenge arc too. Apart from having these four years to polish and study his game, he also has the 2028 LA Olympics. Having been placed as the frontal force for franchise and country, there’s no doubt his fuel will burn bright when the time comes.

But what about Jayson Tatum? With the Boston Celtics, he can nail titles in the coming years, adorning his resume to take over as the best player. Yet with international basketball on the rise and drawing major attention, it might be a test he will have to pass. After the Olympics he had, though, the Celtics ace didn’t speak with much certainty about his future participation.

“If you asked me right now if I was going to play in 2028 — it is 4 years from now and I [would have] to take time and think about that. So I’m not going to make any decision based off how this experience was or how I felt individually,” he told Windhorst in an interview.

There have been reports about Steve Kerr possibly retiring before the 2028 competition. Moreover, given the depleted veteran representation, Jayson Tatum has a shot to be the mainstay star for Team USA. It’s a chance that doesn’t come often. And for the Celt, it might be the opportunity to avenge himself and mend his reputation within the league circles.

According to you, who will be the best player come five years? Let us know your views in the comments below.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger