To say Victor Wembanyama has had an excellent rookie season would be an understatement.
After recording his fifth block of the game against the Grizzlies on Tuesday night, Wembanyama joined a trio of Hall of Famers to account for 1,000 points, 250 assists and 250 blocks in a season.
As ESPN’s Andrew Lopez noted, he’s in a class with all-time great centers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon. Per Stathead, Abdul-Jabbar accomplished the feat five times, while Robinson and Olajuwon did it twice.
He also became only the sixth rookie in league history to record 250 blocks in a season, joining Robinson, Manute Bol, Shaquille O’Neal, Mark Eaton and Alonzo Mourning.
According to Action Network, Wembanyama (-1340) is an overwhelming consensus favorite to be named NBA Rookie of the Year.
He’s more than lived up to the hype that came with being touted as the best prospect in a generation. Wembanyama’s gaudy numbers speak volumes, but it was a play against Memphis that won’t show up in the boxscore that arguably best shows his otherworldly talent.
He single-handedly thwarted a 3-on-1 opportunity simply by existing.
The Grizzlies managed to score a two-point bucket on the possession, but it was much more challenging than it would have been against most other defenders.
The Spurs won 102-87, and Wembanyama finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists and seven blocks.
As thrilling as his rookie season has been to behold, it’s also terrifying for the rest of the league. If Wembanyama is this good now, just wait until he enters his prime.
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