More than you probably need, but who else has this much highlights in his rookie season?
There are, very occasionally, players who come along and simply redefine the game. The list is pretty short: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and...not that many since the 1980’s. You could make an argument for LeBron James, but he hasn’t done that much that no one else hadn’t done before. It’s more his all-around game paired with athleticism. Ralph Sampson might have if his health had held up.
There’s still a chance that Zion Williamson could be in that category if his health holds up, but he’s missed so much time that it’s hard to make that claim. But there is no one else who is 6-6 and 280 with that combination of power, athleticism and incredible basketball IQ. He’s utterly unique.
You know who’s likely to be on that list when all is said and done?
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.
Wemby, as he’s become known, is the prototypical unicorn. He’s 7-4 and has guard skills. He’s a fine three point shooter and he’s also a tremendous shot blocker. No one has ever had his package of skills.
This video is probably longer than most of you will watch, but it’s worth it: it’s a compilation of highlights from his just-completed rookie season.
Not surprisingly, he was recently named Rookie of the Year and he was also the runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year behind fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert.
What’s wild is how thin he is. If you want a good reference point, look up Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks. Their builds were very similar. As a mature player, Kareem was no longer lithe; instead he was powerful and able to push back.
When Wembanyama is at that point, he’s going to be a force like no one else has ever been.
