Victor Wembanyama Interview: Wemby Discusses His Extraordinary Rookie Season in Depth
Im”I’m only a person,” or am I?
A sly smile That was the question Victor Wembanyama asked me at the end of our conversation on Monday, the day after his incredible rookie season ended.
I ponder the same thing sometimes. Wembanyama dominates everyone in every room and on every court at seven feet four inches. Additionally, for a 20-year-old, he exudes a rare wisdom and maturity. He has had one of the best rookie seasons in NBA history thanks to these physical and mental skills.
I compared Wembanyama to a Gen Z Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, named him the best prospect since LeBron James, and claimed he had a shot to be the greatest player of all time before the 2023 draft. Despite my high expectations, Victor’s first season with the San Antonio Spurs exceeded them all. however, not Wemby’s.
Wembanyama stated to The Ringer, “It’s impossible to be surprised by your own performance, good or bad.” “Because everything is ultimately the product of your own labor and
Wemby is a bit of a stoic, but he has a healthy ego and confidence too. During our one-hour sit-down, he said he has a chance to become the greatest defensive player ever. When I began to frame a question about how he feels being labeled as the next LeBron James or Michael Jordan, he smiled and asked, “People say that?” Of course they do, and he knows it more than anyone: Of everyone I’ve spoken to around the league, in San Antonio, and in his circle, Victor seems the least surprised about his production.
Wembanyama became the tenth player in NBA history to finish a season with an average of at least twenty points, ten rebounds, and three blocks. The first novice to do it was him. Being the first player to finish a game in less than thirty minutes was him. Wembanyama also aspires to be in the Hall of Fame, as are the other nine players.
Wembanyama declared, “My life’s ambition is to fulfill my potential and to be a fully realized human being.” “There is nothing that will prevent me from doing what I need to do and what I want to do.”
Over the years, I’ve had lengthy conversations with several fantastic players, including Joel Embiid, Steph Curry, and Nikola Jokic. Each one of them has been an honor. However, Wembanyama is the most astute young athlete I’ve ever spoken with regarding what he needs to do to realize his full potential. To be honest, I was amazed by the hour that Victor and I spent discussing his incredible rookie season, his quick improvement, and his future goals.
The entire interview can be viewed on the Ringer NBA YouTube website, or you can listen to the entire audio on The Ringer’s NBA Draft Show. Here are three of my favorite passages from Wemby’s debut season, along with some more statistics.