Once every generation or two there comes a player who changes the way the sport of basketball is played, and Victor Wembanyama’s arrival signaled the potential for a similar shift. The greats who are in their peak today are left in awe each time he takes to the court, but Nikola Jokic would love to hang up his boots before the Spurs big man reaches his prime.
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Wembanyama changed the way bigs are looked at. He’s almost “alien-like”. At 7’4″, he moves like a guard, shoots from deep, and also grabs rebounds like he’s picking fruits from trees. It’s not something that’s ever been seen in the NBA before, and it’s just his third season in America.
Jokic, a three-time MVP who’s in the running for a fourth, gave his flowers to Wembanyama in a recent interview with X&O’s Chat. He also made a bold prediction about the Frenchman’s future in the NBA.
“He is changing basketball,” Jokic said. “He’s a rim protector, he’s shooting threes. He is unique. I’m glad that I’ll probably retire before Wemby holds the entire league in a chokehold.”
Nikola Jokic on Victor Wembanyama:
“He is changing basketball. He’s a rim protector, he’s shooting threes. He is unique. I’m glad that I’ll probably retire before Wemby holds the entire league in a chokehold.”
(Via @XOsChat) pic.twitter.com/2GjZrZa8kE
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) March 9, 2026
The Serbian feels that Wembanyama will become the best player in the league in the future. And that’s a big claim because there are a plethora of young talents who’d be scrambling for that label. Anthony Edwards of the Timberwolves is just 24, and Cooper Flagg of the Mavericks, just turned 19 a few months back.
Could Wembanyama be the face of the league ahead of those two stars? The signs are certainly promising in his favor.
The Spurs, after struggling to make it to the top 10 over the last two seasons, are finally a contender, not just for the playoffs, but for the Championship. They’re #2 in the West, and have given leaders OKC Thunder a run for their money in the regular season, ending with a 3-1 record against them.
If Wembanyama, who is averaging 24 points and 11.1 rebounds per game this season, truly wins Spurs their first title since 2014, he’ll already be a legend in San Antonio. He’ll become the face of the league, like Jokic predicted he would.
Not that Jokic is going anywhere any time soon either, of course. He’s still in his prime and the Nuggets, despite being 6th in the West, would like another crack at the ring the Serbian helped them win in 2023.
