Since he entered the NBA in 2023, the league has known that it’s only a matter of time until Victor Wembanyama takes over. The only question was when exactly it would happen. Given the fact that his Spurs are 24-9 and have beaten the defending champion and alleged dynasty-in-waiting Thunder three times in less than two weeks, it appears that the Age of Wemby is officially here.
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There’s been so much talk the past couple years over who the face of the NBA is. LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant are all nearing the end of their careers. So naturally, fans want to know who is going to carry the torch as the best, most marketable and most interesting players in the world.
The answer is clearly Wemby. Whether it’s playing fans in chess in a New York City Park between dates with the Knicks and Nets, spending time at a Shaolin temple training with Buddhist monks this summer or starting a new Spurs tradition by banging a drum at center court after a home win, Wemby always makes the news.
The best part about Wemby is that he isn’t shying away from the spotlight, and in fact, he’s embracing everything that comes with being the next big thing. In his third ‘Once a Year’ interview with Nike that was released yesterday, he was asked if he sees having “a healthy dose of arrogance” as being a strength, and he had an interesting answer.
“I think it’s very important, because you want to err on that side,” he said. “Because being too arrogant and too confident, it’s a problem, but it’s not a problem that’s gonna hold you back. But being too humble is gonna hold you back, so I’m not trying to miss out on things.”
That jives with the way he’s played and acted, and it’s certainly worked to this point for him. He’s currently averaging 24.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.9 blocks per game, and the Spurs are 15-7 when he plays.
Wemby’s confidence has bled into his team too, to the point that the Spurs still thrive even when he isn’t on the court. They’re actually 9-3 without him, though to reach their ceiling and get back to a championship level they’ll obviously need him out there.
Last night’s comeback win over the Knicks, revenge for their loss in the NBA Cup final, saw Wemby come down awkwardly while going for a rebound in the fourth quarter. At that point, he had 31 points and 13 rebounds in just 23 minutes, and though he did return to the bench before the game ended, there’s a worry that he’s going to miss some time with what’s been diagnosed as a slightly hyperextended knee.
Injury is the only thing that can stop Wemby from taking over. It kept him from winning Defensive Player of the Year last year, and with the 65-game minimum to be eligible for postseason awards, it’s not looking like he’s going to have played enough this year, either.
What really matters is that he’s healthy for the postseason. This is the first time in three years that it looks like the Spurs will be playing meaningful basketball in April and possibly beyond.
Wemby has earned the right to be a little arrogant, but he’s still only as good as his health will allow. The Spurs and he need to be smart with his injury, and then his takeover can really begin.
