Kobe Bryant famously said that Shaquille O’Neal would have been the greatest of all time if he had the Black Mamba’s work ethic. While we might never get to see that version of the Diesel, Victor Wembanyama could be the closest thing to it.
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His frame isn’t imposing in the way Shaq’s was, but with a near 7’4″ height and 8′ wingspan, Wemby is bound to dominate purely off of his measurements. But what could take him to the next echelon is his dedication to the craft.
Sean Elliott works as a TV analyst for his former team, the Spurs. This has allowed him proximity to the 2023 Rookie of the Year and he seems very impressed with the work he has seen Wembanyama put in.
“You’ve got a lot of that Timmy Duncan gym rat in him,” the 1999 NBA champion said in an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Pop [Gregg Popovich] used to joke that they had to kick Tim out of the gym…And that is an anomaly for bigs…When you have a big guy that has that type of passion, that type of hunger, he’s routinely the last guy in the gym…”
“I’d say that he [Wembanyama] has got a little bit of that Kobe mentality.”
After 14 seasons in the league, and several more as an analyst, Elliott has seen several great bigs come and go through the NBA. He pointed out how the summer league is often rife with guards as big men often play it safe with their bodies to avoid injury.
However, Wemby’s work ethic makes him the exception here. Elliott even compared the French big to Michael Jordan. “It’s almost a maniacal drive…The kind of drive that Michael had, where you’re just borderline insane and borderline a genius. He’s got that.”
“If you have to ask a big man to leave the gym, that’s unheard of."@seanelliott_32 discusses Victor Wembanyama’s dedication with @TermineRadio & @Jumpshot8.
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In conjunction with his natural gifts, this type of mentality will certainly help Wemby achieve the status he wants in this league. After just one season in the NBA, his training has already seen the 20-year-old improve on his skillset and his body.
Wembanyama follows a unique training regimen
“I’m trying to work in a way that’s good for my body, respecting my body type,” the 2024 blocks leader said during pre-season. With NBA history on his side, Wemby and his team have taken note of the injury history of 7-footers in the league.
While a long frame is helpful for dominating the game, it also strains the lower body. That’s why the Frenchman is often seen working on his flexibility.
“We’re not focused on gaining weight, but weight increases when you build strength,” Wembanyama reflected. The Frenchman’s unique regimen, tailor-made for his body-type, has already started producing results.
He still had to miss a few games after bruising his knee in a collision with Anthony Davis. But in 14 games this season, Wemby has been able to play consistently and show marked improvements in his game.
Victor’s three-point shot wasn’t falling well during the first few weeks of the season, but now he’s knocking down 33.6% of them while increasing his output from 5.5 attempts to 8.9. His scoring has seen an uptick too, going from 21.4 last year to 22.9 so far this season.
At the same time, Wembanyama has maintained his ridiculous defensive production, averaging 1.3 steals and 3.6 blocks per game. The heightened focus on his physical enhancement should help the San Antonio Spur develop at his own pace and slowly, but surely, take over the mantle of the NBA’s greatest player.
