25-under-25: Victor Wembanyama is the next face of NBA basketball

Victor Wembanyama ranked No. 14 on The Step Back's 2023-24 25-under-25, ranking the best young players in the NBA. Check out the rest of the list here.

Victor Wembanyama was widely hailed as the best NBA Draft prospect since LeBron James. Maybe ever. He's that good, that unique. At 7-foot-4, Wemby is often disposed to create off the dribble. He roasts slower defenders with crossovers and hesitation moves. Let a slower defender post up underneath him, and it's a simple, unguardable pull-up jumper.

There are NBA 'unicorns' who blend size and skill in unique ways. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kristaps Porzingis, Chet Holmgren, Kevin Durant; the list goes on. Wembanyama takes the term to its logical extreme. He rivals Boban Marjanovic for the tallest player in the NBA label, while also possessing a mobility and hand-eye coordination virtually never seen before in a player with his physical gifts.

The San Antonio Spurs won the lottery to end all lotteries, expediting their rebuild and charting a course for the next decade of championship contention. Wemby ties the entire roster together, and he has the best imaginable leadership structure to lean on. Gregg Popovich is the most accomplished head coach of his time. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are a phone call away. San Antonio is a low-key city, in line with Wembanyama's low-key attitude.

Victor Wembanyama will lead the next wave of San Antonio Spurs contention

It will take time for the pieces to come together, and make no mistake. At 19 years old, Wembanyama still has a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow. It took LeBron years to get over the hump and truly compete for a championship. Wemby probably has better infrastructure around him than early-aughts LeBron (and we probably shouldn't lean too heavily into comparing Wemby to the greatest player of a generation), but the Spurs will need patience. This can't be a rushed job.

On the other hand, the Spurs have the cap flexibility to move quickly as Wemby ascends. Rising star Devin Vassell recently signed a five-year extension for an exceedingly reasonable price. The Spurs' young core is either signed to an affordable second contract (Vassell, Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones) or on their rookie deals (Jeremy Sochan, Malaki Branham). San Antonio nearly lured Austin Reaves in free agency; if Wemby hits big, with Popovich at the reins, don't be shocked when quality players start to take a serious interest in what's brewing in San Antonio.

Wembanyama is a true two-way foundational piece. He will anchor the Spurs' defense, with the ability to bend the geometrics of opposing offenses in a way few rim protectors can. San Antonio couldn't get stops last season. That should no longer be a problem; even if the perimeter defense folds, Wemby will clean up messes with his 8-foot wingspan, extensive ground coverage, and generally foreboding presence for prospective rim finishers.

There's a non-zero chance that Wembanyama will end his career with multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards. There hasn't been a prospect with his defensive ceiling in ages, which makes the offensive upside all the more remarkable. His defense alone changes the Spurs' floor and competitive ceiling, but he's also going to be the lifeblood of the offense.

In Summer League, the Spurs faithful got an early taste of how expansive Wembanyama's skill set is. He brought the ball up the floor and made a conscious effort to seek out teammates, dropping several impressive dimes on the move. Playmaking for others was one of Wemby's few weaknesses in France. If he's already elevating his passing craft, the rest of the league might as well pack it up.

Wembanyama has the ultimate scalable skill set. He can set screens, roll to the rim, catch lobs, and do normal big-man things. He can face up from the elbow and score like a wing. He can push the tempo in transition and create from the perimeter like a guard. San Antonio will have a lot of room for creativity on the offensive end and in terms of lineup construction. It's fair to question Popovich's capacity for creativity in this day and age, but the coach has already admitted that he has "no idea" how to use the 19-year-old wunderkind. The scope of Wembanyama's abilities invites creativity.

The Spurs aim to win games as soon as possible. The rebuild as it was last season ends right now. Expectations will immediately skyrocket with Wemby on board, and while it's important to manage those expectations responsibly, another 20-win season would signal a serious failure on all fronts. San Antonio has a talented supporting cast and now, a centerpiece in place. The future is bright, yes, but so is the present if it all gels as expected.

Wembanyama should receive a significant workload from day one. Every rookie suffers through an adjustment period. Sometimes it happens out of the gates. Other times, it comes in the form of the "rookie wall" in March. Wemby will not be perfect next season, but we can expect some eye-popping plays and prolific all-around production.

By this time next year, expect Wembanyama to place much higher in these rankings.