25-under-25: Victor Wembanyama has already arrived

For a brief moment in time last season, Victor Wembanyama seemed almost human. Mortal. He struggled with his scoring efficiency over the first month or so of the campaign, largely due to the burden placed on his shoulders. The San Antonio Spurs weren't exactly a good team, folks. Wemby was expected to do a lot more than your average 7-foot-4 teenager out of the gate, and he didn't have the help of solid infrastructure.

The Spurs tried, in vain, to make Point Guard Jeremy Sochan work. It never did. Even once Tre Jones won the gig, the Spurs didn't have the playmaking firepower on the perimeter to ease the defensive pressure applied to Wemby on a nightly basis. He was San Antonio's primary iso scorer, their bail-out option late in the shot clock, a bonafide creation hub. The Spurs handed Wembanyama the keys on day one because nobody else could drive the damn car.

It all worked out in the end. After a couple of months of successful Chet Holmgren Rookie of the Year campaigning, it became clear that nobody would stand in Wemby's way. That was always his award. The question quickly became, could Wembanyama earn any other accolades?

He ultimately lost Defensive Player of the Year to Rudy Gobert. You tip your cap, Gobert is one of the all-time greats on that end. But it sure feels like Wemby is going to win DPOY this season — and maybe for the next decade. There just isn't anybody who can disrupt so much with their mere presence. Wembanyama's comical 8-foot wingspan means he doesn't even need perfect fundamentals at the point of attack, or laser-focused awareness. That stuff is just gravy. He can recover on most blow-bys, deter layups from the opposite side of the basket, and spook just about any self-respecting ball-handler thinking about a foray into the paint. Wemby is a truly singular force on that end.

Wembanyama's scoring efficiency improved as the season progressed. San Antonio hasn't exactly lined up a juggernaut around him, but the additions of Chris Paul and Stephon Castle should help the Spurs generate easier offense. Wemby catching lobs from CP3 will become a prime point of entertainment for Spurs fans — heck, for all of us. Watching Wembanyama is a treat and we should all be thankful.

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Victor Wembanyama has arrived as the NBA's next generational superstar

How often to these great rookies actually deliver on expectations? Wembanyama was propped up as the greatest prospect since LeBron James in 2003. Some went back even further, citing Kareem as the best point of comparison. Normally that stuff is hyperbole or complete nonsense. The thing with Wemby, though, is that it was perfectly justified. We have not seen a prospect meld youth, physical gifts, and skill diversity quite like Wembanyama in decades, if ever.

In the course of NBA history, there has not been a single 7-foot-4 big man who can do what Wembanyama does offensively. He's not just a competent 3-point shooter or a mildly nimble lob catcher. He's creating in isolation, navigating traffic with a tight handle and generating space with precise footwork. His dexterity, lateral mobility, and coordination at his height are difficult to fathom. There's practically no way to effectively defend Wemby as a result. He has a counter to every tactic, even if it's as simple as 'I am taller than you and I will shoot over the top.'

Wembanyama is already on the shortlist of best defenders in the NBA, if not firmly planted in the No. 1 spot. The Spurs aren't built to contend yet, but Wemby sets a high floor on the defensive end. San Antonio is going to start winning games just because Wembanyama is out there, even in the unforgiving Western Conference. There are 12 or 13 viable postseason "contenders" in the West if you don't include the Spurs. San Antonio's path to actual playoff success is murky, but Wembanyama could be good enough to put the Spurs on the map right now.

The offense will continue to progress. Wembanyama is a notoriously hard worker, having staked his reputation on "deserving" his success. He goes to bed early. He works tirelessly to maintain flexibility and stave off injuries. He reads books! Wemby is the poster child for that positive sports role model parents want in their kids' lives. Wembanyama wants to do it the right way and it's a commendable creed. He says and does all the right things. Folks wonder who the next face of the NBA will be when LeBron retires, but it seems obvious. Wembanyama is a global phenomenon the league can get behind.

Was he perfect last season? Of course not. Wembanyama needs to clean up turnovers, sharpen his passing chops, and get a smidge more consistent from 3-point range. But they are all nitpicks for one of the NBA's truly great players. Wembanyama didn't take long to climb the proverbial ladder to superstardom. Now, he's already walking among basketball royalty.

Victor Wembanyama ranked No. 1 on FanSided's 2024-25 25-under-25, ranking the best young players in the NBA. Check out the rest of the list here.