It’s not often in sports that a player comes along who is hyped up beyond belief, but then lives up to that hype and then some. Victor Wembanyama is one such player, as he’s exceeded the sky-high expectations that scouts and NBA insiders placed on him when he was drafted by the Spurs with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Midway through his second year, Wemby is already one of the best players in the NBA.
Advertisement
Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson spoke about the impact Wemby has had in his young NBA career on a recent episode of their Nightcap podcast. Sharpe projected that because of his game-changing ability and the rise in the salary cap, the Spurs center would become the first player in the league to sign a $400 million contract.
“By the time Wemby come, it might be 5 years $400 million,” Sharpe declared. Of course, this discussion did not come up unprovoked. While discussing the Luka Doncic trade, Unc and Ocho spoke about how the new CBA would come into effect next year, further upping the maximum salary affordable to a player.
Wemby is still under contract through the 2026-27 season, after which he’ll become eligible for the NBA’s rookie max extension. Right now, the rookie max is five years and around $224 million, which is what Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Franz Wagner, and Evan Mobley have all signed for.
That number can increase based on whether any of those players satisfy the Derrick Rose rule, which states that a rookie max can go up to 30 percent of the salary cap instead of 25 percent if a player wins MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or is named to an All-NBA team.
That’s going to be a lot of money, but Johnson thinks if there’s anyone that deserves it, it’s Wemby.“He’s worth every penny. Wemby is everything advertised, every bit of it, so whatever penny he get, he’s earning every bit of it,” he said.
Victor Wembanyama is going to get paid
San Antonio’s big man looks like a sure bet to have the DPOY locked up for the foreseeable future, which would make him eligible for the highest possible amount.
Compound that with the NBA’s new 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal, and that should guarantee that the salary cap increases by the maximum of 10 percent each year, which means that Wemby’s deal could end up eclipsing $400 million.
Wemby is one of the most freakish athletes the world has ever seen, and what he’s been able to do in his first two seasons is unprecedented. He’s already averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 3.8 blocks. He may be the first basketball player ever that really has no ceiling.
The Spurs traded for De’Aaron Fox to be Wemby’s running mate at the deadline, and as they continue to add talent around him, it may not be long until he’s the biggest star in the league. Sharpe and Johnson are right that no matter how much he makes, for the Spurs, it will be well worth it.
