P.J. Carlesimo, an ESPN radio analyst, became a witness to Victor Wembanyama’s special talent during an Atlanta Hawks game against San Antonio Spurs on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The former NBA head coach was in awe as Wembanyama, using his massive 7-foot-4 frame, grabbed a pass mid-air and executed a remarkable finish. Picked as the No. 1 in the 2023 NBA Draft, Wembanyama’s exceptional abilities have led many to suggest that he may soon emerge as the league’s star player. In his first season, the talented recruit won the NBA Rookie of the Year award and became a first-team All-Defense player.
Wembanyama’s quick rise in basketball stirred up tremendous excitement among former NBA players and coaches at the 12th annual Jerry Colangelo Basketball Hall of Fame Golf Classic. Hall of Famer Spencer Haywood said, upon watching Wembanyama’s performance in the Olympics, that the player had significantly grown compared to his first year. Wembanyama reminded him of Ralph Sampson — a big-man himself with exceptional skills like Wembanyama’s. Despite Sampson’s reluctance to be drawn into a comparison conversation, he did express his admiration for Wembanyama, renowned for doing things “big men were not supposed to do.”
San Antonio’s basketball head coach, Gregg Popovich, was once dissatisfied with Wembanyama’s performance in a game against Atlanta, such that he benched him for a significant portion of the match. Later, however, Wembanyama was brought back into the game, where he unleashed an impressive display of skill and prowess that did not go unnoticed. His spectacular performance against Atlanta included nine dunks, 26 points, and one particular impressive catch that left Carlesimo struggling to articulate.
Despite Wembanyama’s undeniable talent, he needs proper support and mentoring to harness his full potential in the NBA. Visionary San Antonio Spurs have recognized this and strategically signed veteran point guard Chris Paul to help guide Wembanyama. Hall of Fame point guard Gary Payton believes that Chris Paul’s tutelage will improve Wembanyama’s game significantly. He rationalizes that Paul’s experience and ability to guide Wembanyama in the right direction will be instrumental in his rise to NBA dominance.
Colangelo, a prominent figure in USA Basketball, also sees great potential in Wembanyama. However, he knows better than to prejudge the greatness of a player. Colangelo understands that while Wembanyama’s talent is exceptional, there’s always a new wave of great talent emerging in the NBA. He said, “There’s always a next wave.” Nevertheless, Colangelo is particularly positive about Wembanyama, stating, “If he stays healthy, he could be one of the most dominant players, obviously, of all time.”
The high expectations for Wembanyama are not without caution. Carlesimo, although in awe of Wembanyama’s talent, is aware of the immense pressure the young player is under. Despite this, he believes that Wembanyama is capable of handling the expectations and asserts that the young player is deserving of the hype. However, both he and the basketball community are waiting excitedly to see how the young athlete’s career will unfold.
