When Victor Wembanyama was introduced to the NBA world, it was one filled with awe, shock, and surprise. Why, you ask? The most obvious reason is, of course, his 7’4 lanky frame. Wemby is not uncomfortable with the looks as he is used to standing out from the crowd, literally, his entire life. Add to it his rare skills that make him a generational talent. Of course, he becomes the next NBA unicorn. Except, the young big man is not the biggest fan of the nickname. He prefers the nickname given to him by LeBron James.
“Alien”. That’s what James called Wembanyama ahead of his NBA draft in 2023. And now it seems like the Lakers legend is also on a similar path.
LeBron James is in awe of his past
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The latest story update by LeBron James shows him reposting a video put together by one of his many fan pages. It shows a young LeBron (2009-10) season hooping and scoring like crazy. It looks like the 38-year-old is simply shocked at his own athleticism (doesn’t necessarily have to, seeing how he is in top form, even now).
He captions the video with, “I am NOT from this planet”. It won’t be too far from the truth. LeBron James became King James with this exact out-of-this-world performance and talent. Since he stepped foot on the court with the Cavaliers in 2003 till now, Bron has continued to blow the NBA world away.
Why don’t we take a look at the video that has James reminiscing about his past and realize that he may indeed be “not from this planet”?
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Well, the video itself is an homage to the legend that LeBron James is. This shows his incredible performances of the 2009-10 season and according to StatMuse, Bron averaged 29.7 points, 8.6 assists, and 7.3 rebounds in 76 games. It was also the year he got his second MVP award. Not to mention, it was the year he would play for the final time in the Cleveland Cavaliers before he moved to the Miami Heat.
Why King James is worthy of his title
It is no wonder that players on the court falter a step when they see James getting on the court. He is also well-known for bullying his way to get his team to the next level. After all, this comfort zone that Bron has made for his teammates is what has given them an excuse for not stepping up as the occasion demands. Not his fault, of course, but it makes one wonder what the Lakers are going to do once LeBron leaves for good.
Taking a look at his stats, it will still take time for the players of now to reach the heights set by him. To begin with, he is the only player to have recorded over 30,000 points, 8000 rebounds, and 8000 assists in the history of the NBA. With total career points of 38847, he has surpassed Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Karl Malone on the All-Time Leaders list.
A crown worth the wait. A crown worth the weight.
Adding Scoring Leader to a long list of accomplishments, bravo @KingJames pic.twitter.com/wf05qMOShj
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 21, 2023
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Moving on, his playoff records aren’t any less the hype. Once again, he has got ahead of the above-mentioned legends. Sitting atop with 8023 points, he has dominated the All-Time Leaders list for the playoffs as well. All of this and many more accolades do not stop him from reminding himself and the world that he was a kid from Akron.
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Ultimately, this grounded mindset and staying true to his roots is what brings his achievements full circle. And looking at Victor Wembanyama, he is only 19. There is still a lot of room for improvement and growth – literally and technically. But what we have seen so far is highly promising and Wemby has certainly delivered.
Will Wemby be the next face of the league? Let us know what you think below.