Victor Wembanyama seems to have a 100 percent approval rating, both in the entire NBA world and especially in San Antonio. Of course, that makes logical sense, as the 21-year-old appears to be on the fast track to clear superstardom after a 2024-25 season in which he averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and a league-leading 3.8 blocked shots per game. That showing earned Wembanyama his first All-Star appearance in a career likely to include many but, for perhaps the first time since he was drafted in 2023, fans in San Antonio might have a bone to pick with the French big man.
On Tuesday, Wembanyama took questions on the San Antonio Spurs official Instagram account, and he waded into one of the ever-present online debates in NBA culture: Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant. Though he tried to level out his answer at the end, Wembanyama leaned in the direction of the former Lakers star in Bryant over the former Spurs star in Duncan.
“Tim Duncan or Kobe? Tough question. Probably Kobe… Eh actually, I don’t know.”
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 10, 2025
- Victor Wembanyama on IG live😅👀
(via @spurs /IG)
pic.twitter.com/iLuMPGQhWY
“Tim Duncan or Kobe? Tough question," he said. "Probably Kobe all-time... Actually, I don’t know."
Victor Wembanyama may have made an unforgivable mistake
So, there is a lot going on here. For one, Wembanyama was seemingly taking these questions without any preparation, which can lead to authentic answers but also the potential that he would not consider the fallout as deeply as within a prepared setting. Wembanyama would not be alone in leaning to Bryant, especially given the aesthetically pleasing nature of Bryant's game. After all, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, five-time champion, and all-time great. Over a 13-year period that could be classified as his prime, Bryant averaged 28.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, further illustrating his dominance.
On the other side, Duncan is an all-time great ... who played his entire career in San Antonio. Beyond that clear synergy with Wembanyama, Duncan has been around the Spurs in his post-playing days, and the Hall of Fame big man was one of the best defensive players in NBA history. The 15-time All-NBA selection and two-time NBA MVP helped to lead the Spurs to five championships, and some might consider this to be a "layup" answer that Wembanyama could have given without blowback.
Wembanyama is perhaps the most intriguing talent in NBA history, as a player listed a 7-foot-3 with the ability to be a complete game-wrecking force as a rim protector and interior scorer, while also providing perimeter creation ability and shooting that players his size essentially never bring. As such, one could make the leap that Wembanyama could become something of a combination of Bryant and Duncan, adding even more fuel to the discussion.
Finally, Wembanyama's age may come into play a bit with this answer. After all, he was born in 2004, nearly a decade after both Bryant and Duncan were drafted. Growing up in France, it is certainly possible, if not likely, that Wembanyama had far more access to watching Bryant than Duncan, simply given the popularity of Bryant and the Lakers. Perhaps a bit of grace could emanate from that reality.
In the end, this is not a massive deal by any means, but it is also the kind of thing that could cause a bit of a kerfuffle in San Antonio. It's a good thing for Wembanyama's PR team that he walked it back a little by the end of the answer, but it probably would have been an easier day for everyone involved if he simply said, "I gotta go with Spurs legend Tim Duncan."
Live and learn.