Somehow Victor Wembanyama has exceeded expectations despite being the most hyped prospect since LeBron James. The NBA has never seen a player at 7-foot-4 be an elite defender and score at all three levels. Although the Spurs star is only in his second season, he’s getting all kinds of GOAT predictions already, which point to how talented he really is. Four-time All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is among those crowning Wembanyama already.
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The former defensive juggernaut boldly predicted that Wembanyama will end his career as the best defender in NBA history at the very least.
Cousins gave his opinion on Wemby’s recent dominance in the league, including his stellar performance against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. The Spurs star finished with 35 points and 18 rebounds while leading the San Antonio side to a tough road victory at Ball Arena.
Cousins doesn’t need to see more to bestow the title of a future great on the Frenchman. He said, “At minimum, Wemby will be the greatest defensive player of all time. Minimum. I’m calling it now. The sky’s the limit for this kid.”
“At minimum, Wemby will be the greatest defensive player of all time. Minimum. I’m calling that now. The sky’s the limit for this kid.”@BoogieCousins and Nikola Jokic agree; Victor Wembanyama will become one of the greatest players in NBA history
https://t.co/scN6pI2dPF pic.twitter.com/W5bPsfH2gE
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 6, 2025
Not only does Cousins believe Wemby has the potential to be the greatest defensive player ever, he believes it’s a foregone conclusion. In his rookie season, Wembanyama finished as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award. So far in the 2024-25 season, he is easily the runaway favorite to win the award.
The 21-year-old phenom is currently leading the league in blocks with 2.9 blocks per game. His averages position him to tally the 22nd-highest blocks per game season in NBA history. Wembanyama possesses defensive talent that has never been seen before. Therefore, Cousins carries the utmost confidence in his take.
Moreover, the former Clippers star isn’t the only big man to relay high praise to Wemby. In fact, the discussion on Run It Back began due to the comments from Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic.
Jokic’s praise for Wembanyama
Wembanyama dominated in his recent outings against Jokic. The two star big men went head-to-head in back-to-back matchups. After their first battle, where the Spurs came out victorious, Jokic spoke highly of Wemby.
“I think he’s better this year than last year, and I think he’s going to get even better,” Jokic said. “Experience, how his body is changing, learning the plays, he has really good veterans in his team right now to help him grow. I think he’s a special player. He’s gonna be one of a kind and is going to be remembered forever.”
Those words are the ultimate praise from the three-time MVP and the 2023 Finals MVP. Wembanyama is on pace to earn his first All-Star selection this season. As the titans of the NBA, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry, are entering their last years in the league, Wemby has positioned himself to grab the torch from them.
