Let the Tanking Begin; Victor Wembanyama is the Real Deal

Let the Tanking Begin; Victor Wembanyama is the Real Deal

The Victor Wembanyama hype train has finally reached another level. We’ve seen scouts and analysts talk about can’t miss prospects in the past, but Wembanyama is a once-in-a-generation type of talent we might not see in a long time. After seeing the French basketball prospect play last night against the G League Ignite, basketball fans and teams are drooling over the potential Wembanyama possess. Is Wembanyama worth a team tanking their season away to land his services in the 2023 NBA Draft?

We’ve seen video clips of Wembanyama surface over the internet over the years, but we finally got to see Wembanyama live last night, and he didn’t disappoint at all. Standing 7’4, Wembanyama isn’t the typical big man you imagine. Some draw comparisons to Kevin Durant with his offensive skill set and Rudy Gobert with his defensive abilities; Wembanyama is a true unicorn. Some people might compare him to this past year’s second overall pick Chet Holmgren, but many believe he is twice the prospect that Holmgren was.

During last night’s matchup, Wembanyama matched up against the likely second-best prospect in the 2023 draft class in Scoot Henderson. The expectations were met between both Henderson and Wembanyama. Even after seeing Henderson put on an exciting performance, Wembanyama is the clear-cut favorite to be the number one pick we all expected. Wembanyama stuffed the stat sheet in multiple ways during the game. Wembanyama scored 37 points (28 in the second half) while shooting 7/11 from three. On the defensive side of the ball, the 7’4 phenom blocked five shots while pulling down four rebounds. Wembanyama single-handedly took over the game on multiple occasions on both sides of the court against the G League Ignite.

Yes, the numbers Wembanyama put up look terrific and exciting. However, it doesn’t do justice to how his skillset can translate to the NBA. We saw Wembanyama bring the ball up the floor multiple times to set up the offense, hit step-back threes from the corner, and his versatile isolation game he can bring to an NBA team. On the defensive side of the ball, Wembanyama showed his agility and athleticism to guard multiple positions and also protect the rim. With today’s positionless basketball, Wembanyama shines with his versatility in his offensive and defensive game. 

Should NBA Teams Tank for Victor Wembanyama?

Victor Wembanyama proved to the basketball world he is a generational talent. One NBA GM commented after the game about Wembanyama and what he saw.

“It feels like last night will start a race to the bottom like we’ve never seen. He’s a 7-foot-4 [Kevin] Durant who blocks shots — and he’s not even close to what he’s going to be,” the GM said. “He will be the most hyped player since LeBron [James].”

After last night’s performance from Wembanyama, we might see teams tank as we’ve never seen before. For multiple front offices, there will be a discussion about the tanking possibility. A couple of years ago, we saw the 76ers have their tanking experience during the Trust the Process era. That process landed the team Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, and Markelle Fultz. So why can’t a team tank for a season to land a bigger prospect than all three of those names? Whoever lands the top pick within the NBA Draft Lottery, will land the services of Wembanyama. Whatever trade package teams might throw at the lottery winner will most likely be declined right away. 

So what teams could we see tank away their season to win the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes? The Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City Thunder are the favorites we can project to land the top overall pick. There could be a surprise team no one saw that ends up tanking their season away. Yes, we could potentially see a team sneak their way into the top overall pick because of the lottery system. The NBA experienced that with the New Orleans Pelicans during the Zion Williamson draft. However, we shouldn’t expect that to happen regularly.

Victor Wembanyama showed the world what type of talent he is last night. With still so much room to grow, it seems like Wembanyama is one of the best prospects since LeBron. However, there is always a chance a prospect doesn’t work out and becomes an all-time bust. Especially with the hype that surrounds a prospect before they step foot on an NBA court. Wembanyama could potentially fit in that category of a bust. There is always a possibility someone doesn’t turn out as everyone expected. However, Wembanyama is the type of talent that everyone in an NBA front office will be drooling over until the draft.

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