The NBA is in very good hands these days, no matter what thinks about the league looking to move away from Turner Sports as a broadcast partner after this coming season. The league is awash in superstar talent like never before, and there are several young stars and superstars ready to take over for the older ones, like the many layers of teeth sharks have.
Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-4 French phenom, just wrapped up an immense rookie campaign with the San Antonio Spurs. He averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a league-high 3.6 blocked shots in 29.7 minutes a game, and he has barely scratched the surface of his potential.
He was named the Rookie of the Year and was voted onto the All-Defensive First Team. Some felt he should’ve also won the Defensive Player of the Year award instead of the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert.
Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell is one of those who felt Wembanyama got snubbed in the Defensive Player of the Year voting. In fact, he said the 20-year-old should’ve won a few other league honors while on the “Run Your Race” podcast (h/t The Cold Wire)
“He shoulda been Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player [of the Year], Most Improved, All-NBA … MVP,” said Russell.
Many feel Wembanyama will become the best player in basketball within the next five years and consider him a generational talent. There’s also no doubt some Lakers fans are hoping he will make his way to the Purple and Gold sometime in the future, although that seems extremely unlikely.