“Problem Is He’s Not In The Market”: Gilbert Arenas Refuses To Prop Up Victor Wembanyama As The ‘Face Of The League’ Just Yet

Samir Mehdi | 11/01/2025
Gilbert Arenas(L) and Victor Wembanyama(R)

Before Victor Wembanyama had even entered the NBA, he was propped up to be one of the league’s next, best superstars. Given his sheer physical prowess and potential, it’s understandable as to why fans and analysts alike believed the same. However, Gilbert Arenas wants to pump the brakes on this narrative for a single reason.

“You’ll know when the league is behind him. But, he’s gonna be the face of the league. Problem is, he’s not in the market. Face of the league, you’re not in the market. San Antonio- look what happened to Tim Duncan.”

Gil isn’t entirely wrong here but there are exceptions to this. While it does work in one’s favor to be in a big market city like Los Angeles, New York, Boston, or Chicago, smaller cities have also been able to capitalize on acquiring superstars and propping them up to a high standard.

The 2010s were notorious for this. The ‘Big 3’ of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant spent a majority of their careers in cities that don’t exactly scream ‘big market’. Cleveland, Oklahoma City, and Golden State were all home to faces of the league and this didn’t diminish the product in the slightest.

On the flipside, having Michael Jordan in Chicago instead of say, Milwaukee, did help a bit with the visibility of the league. Even Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s dominance was highlighted on a far bigger stage due to the fact that they were in Los Angeles.

Wemby’s potential to be the face of the league

Victor Wembanyama is looked at as the next big name to carry the NBA in terms of play and viewership. In merely his sophomore season, the French big-man is averaging 25.1 points and 10.8 rebounds a night. He’s blocking an absurd 4 shots per game and also shooting over 35% from beyond the arc.

Combine Wembanyama’s obvious basketball skills along with his marketability and Adam Silver certainly has a decision to make in the coming years regarding how to market him for the next two decades. San Antonio, while it is a smaller market, it’s been on the map for quite some time now due to Tim Duncan’s reign over the West.

Of course, Duncan was never seen as the definitive ‘face of the league’ as he played at the same time as Kobe, LeBron, and Shaq. Wemby has the opportunity to surpass Duncan and if he does it in San Antonio, the French star would be revered by the entire city, if not the whole nation.

Post Edited By: Dhruv Rupani
Gilbert Arenas Spurs Victor Wembanyama

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Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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