Victor Wembanyama has had a stellar rookie season. Despite the San Antonio Spurs being the bottom team in the Western Conference all year, Wemby has been the frontrunner to win this season’s ROTY award. He is far ahead of the rookies in his draft class, averaging 20.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks. Knicks legend Walt Frazier got a chance to witness the potential of Wembanyama live during tonight’s Spurs vs. Knicks game; leading him to compare the young talent with 4 NBA legends holding 23 Championships.
During tonight’s live broadcast, Walt Frazier complimented Wembanyama’s talent with this statement, “This is my assessment of Wemby: He has the offensive prowess of Kareem & Wilt; the defensive tenacity of Bill Russell; and the sagacity & versatility of LeBron.”
"This is my assessment of Wemby: He has the offensive prowess of Kareem & Wilt; the defensive tenacity of Bill Russell; and the sagacity & versatility of LeBron"
–– Walt Frazier pic.twitter.com/IXRt9Bh8Nl
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 30, 2024
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Frazier weighed up the 209lbs rookie to elite ranks considering the names he mentioned are some of the best players in NBA history. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the league’s all-time leading scorer for 39 years until LeBron broke his record last year. And Wilt Chamberlain was arguably the most dominant player of his era, even holding the record for most points scored in a game (100). Wembanyama has shown signs of being a great offensive player like these two legends because he hardly has any flaws in his game.
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Wembanyama is also great on the defensive end. He has stunned the NBA world by leading the league in blocks as a rookie. Wemby is a menace on defense and that is why Frazier compared him to 11-time Champion Bill Russell. The Frenchman also possesses the versatility of LeBron. Standing at 7’4, Wemby has the skillset of a point guard. He has insane athleticism, can shoot, handle the ball, and is elite on defense.
Can Victor Wembanyama live up to the expectations?
Although Victor Wembanyama has shown immense potential in his rookie season, Frazier’s comparison might not get taken seriously until Wemby wins a Championship. The legends Frazier mentioned have a combined 23 Championships, and Wembanyama will need to take that leap as his career progresses. Wemby has the talent to join the ranks of these elite players, and the Spurs need to capitalize on his talent by surrounding him with a great supporting cast.
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The Spurs have had an abysmal season this year. But this one was particularly a test run to assess the ability of Wembanyama. Now that he has lived up to the hype, the Spurs front office will try to make significant moves in the off-season to get back in the playoff picture. That will give Wemby a chance to continue the legacy of the Spurs franchise and etch his name in the history books. Do you agree with Walt Frazier’s statement about Victor Wembanyama?
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