Standing at 7-foot-3 with guard-like skills, Victor Wembanyama has always had drooling over his potential. But it’s not just he could touch the skies. In his first two seasons, he proved worthy of the expectations levied upon him. Furthermore, his skills are so diverse that it’s hard to pin point what makes him stand out. His French teammate, Rudy Gobert, however, pinpoints one specific aspect of the young star’s game which sets him apart.
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The San Antonio Spurs star didn’t burst onto the scene until his sole season with the Metropolitans 92 in 2023. However, Rudy Gobert, being from France, had some prior knowledge of a young kid making some noise in their home nation. Fast forward today, and Wembanyama is one of the league’s biggest stars.
In his sophomore season, Wemby utilized his full arsenal and displayed an uncanny ability to score on all three levels, while possessing outstanding defensive ability. A lot of his plays are a mix of talent and skill, but Gobert attributes Wemby’s creative liberties as the reason he thrives on the basketball court.
“His freedom,” Gobert said on the Young Man and The Three podcast. “He is just free on the court. It’s not something that’s easy. Every game, he’s going to do something that you don’t really expect.”
Even before Wemby even stepped on an NBA court, he was doing precisely what Gobert’s describing. One of the standout examples is his remarkable put back dunk off of his own missed three-pointer. For many players, plays like that are highlight reels they will watch forever. For Wemby, it’s another Friday.
That level of freedom on the court doesn’t come from carelessness though, in fact it’s quite the opposite. Gobert asserts that Wemby is really unique player who hasn’t tampered with his natural temperament and game, despite maturing over the years.
“I saw his mindset, and that’s what I told everyone. There’s the talent, there’s the measurements, I mean, this is all unique, right? But his mindset to me is what really showed me that he was made to do something unique,” the Frenchman said.
Wembanyama is only 21-years-old at this point and already arguably a top-10 player in the NBA; a testament to how special he truly is. That said, he will need to do better and then some if he wants to be remembered along side the greats of the game. The NBA is littered with the hopes and dreams of special players whose talents never translated to greatness.
If Wemby wishes to follow a different route, he will need to help the San Antonio Spurs at least make the playoffs for now; something they haven’t done in a long time.
However, now with a full season with De’Aaron Fox, along with the addition of second overall pick Dylan Harper, Wembanyama has the opportunity to make his first big mark on the league this upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.
