The NBA seemed to enter a new era this past June with the arrival of Victor Wembanyama. The 2.24-meter Wembanyama appeared in the league as if he were a Martian thanks to his extraordinary physical qualities that made him a ‘Unicorn’ rarely seen on a basketball court.
After more than a month of competition, we can make a comprehensive assessment of the performance of the player called to change the destiny of the San Antonio Spurs. Although he is and will be a very important star in the NBA, it is also true that the hype we were sold with his arrival was totally exaggerated. The numbers have thus dictated the verdict.
Wembanyama plays Curry and doesn’t miss a triple before Spurs take on Kings
Far from the San Antonio Spurs having the best season in their history – they are one of the teams at the bottom of the Western Conference and will not enter the Play Offs – Wemby is not making a difference as expected in an eminently losing team.
The player is getting shots and playing a leading role, but his 43% success rate in two-point shots and 26% in three-pointers leave something to be desired. His averages after a month of competition of 19 points per game, just over 9 rebounds and only stands out in the blocker section with 2.6 caps per game. Despite all this, not even this last section has led him to lead the NBA, being considered to date more as an exotic attraction on the court than as a player who can make a difference.
Far from the best in history
Wembanyama‘s impact cannot be compared to other rookies who made a difference from day one. Inside players like Shaquille O’Neal, ‘The Admiral’ or ‘The Dream’ far surpassed the current averages of Wemby, who has also found himself in an NBA context much more predisposed to great statistics than in the past, when he really defended.
‘The Unicorn’ is not even in the top-10 of historical numbers for a rookie in the NBA. If he isn’t careful, he will be left without the rookie of the year.
Wembanyama, with whom there was no doubt that he should be the No. 1 pick in this Draft, has found himself with an unexpected competitor in the form of another ‘Unicorn’. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a 2.16m tall gem who has a knack for scoring baskets off the dribble. This year, without going any further, he already defeated the Golden State Warriors like that.
The Thunder‘s ‘Unicorn’ suffered a serious knee injury last season and has not been able to make his debut until this season, averaging 17.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in a team that is fighting for first place in the Western Conference. The most shattering stat is that he is shooting 55.7% from two-point range and 43.4% from three-point range.
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