Jamal Crawford has had as close of a look at Victor Wembanyama as anyone since the Frenchman entered the NBA. Much like the rest of the NBA community, the 44-year-old has only had praise to dispense about the young star, whether it be his skills, physique, or mentality. However, while speaking about what it would take for him to be considered the greatest of all time, the former Clipper had a rather bold take.
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During his recent appearance on the Captain Jack Podcast, Crawford was asked if winning the Defensive Player Award consecutively for the next 10 years could win Wemby the GOAT debate. Most would likely believe that this would at least create an argument for him. However, he rejected the notion outright.
Jamal explained that when a player is as great as Wembanyama, he will always be compared to the greats. He then brought up the importance of championships and why they are the reason the likes of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James are so well-respected. He said,
“Even if he [Victor Wembanyama] wins Defensive Player of the Year, for the next ten years, ultimately, when you’re that great, you’re… going to be judged by championships. And that’s why people love Bron [LeBron James]. That’s why people love [Michael] Jordan. That’s why people love Kobe [Bryant].
Crawford’s explanation doesn’t seem to miss a beat. Championships may not be the end-all-be-all for a player in the GOAT debate. However, it has consistently been at least one of the most important factors in judging who deserves to sit on the almighty throne.
So, at the end of the day, Wemby will never be considered the GOAT unless he can win titles. That said, playing soul-crushing defense certainly doesn’t hurt the cause. And judging by what he has said so far, this certainly seems to be on the checklist for the young Frenchman.
Victor Wembanyama in his defense
Standing at a towering 7ft 4″ and with all the agility in the world to go along with it, Wembanyama was always going to have immense defensive potential. However, the San Antonio Spurs rookie has somehow managed to supersede all expectations.
He recently sat down with The Ringer to discuss just what makes him so great on this end of the floor. Speaking candidly, he admitted that quite a bit of experimentation goes into his game. And while he is aware that what he tries won’t always work, he will keep doing the same thing while it still works.
He also talked about stopping alley-oops, knowing full well the dangers it entails. However, he was clear on having the bigger picture in mind,
“I’m just experimenting, and sometimes it’s not going to work. But when it works, I’m just going to keep doing it… If I keep trying this, I’m going to get dunked on every once in a while… The alley-oop is one of the highest percentage field goals, so if I can stop it as much as I can, it’s great.”
Having this level of maturity, especially during the social media age, is practically unheard of. And yet, Wemby seems to display it in spades like it’s no big deal.
There is little to no doubt that Victor will be winning Defensive Player of the Year before very soon. Now, he just needs to try and get his team to win more games and demand the level of respect he deserves.
