Tracy McGrady believes Victor Wembanyama hype is ‘too much’
It’s not a secret that Victor Wembanamaya was one of the most hyped NBA prospects in many of our lifetimes heading into the 2023 NBA Draft. But former 16-year NBA veteran and Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady believes that the new San Antonio Spurs big might be too overhyped.
“The hype is crazy to me. It’s too much, bro,” he said in an exclusive interview with Howard Beck of GQ Sports. “I’ve seen this before. Y’all act like you haven’t seen it. That shit that Bol Bol can do? He’s just not given the real opportunity, like I think he should. That kid is skilled. [Kristaps] Porzingis was highly skilled when he first came out, just like that. And hell, he’s 7-3, too. So I’ve seen it.”
The Spurs selected the French phenom with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 Draft, fresh off a very productive season with Metropolitans 92 under legendary French head coach Vincent Collet.
LeBron James called Wembanyama an “alien” last October, and he’s not the only NBA superstar to compliment Wembanyama’s potential at 7-foot-5 with an 8-foot wingspan.
Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo called Wembanyama “incredible,” Golden State’s Stephen Curry compared him to a “create-a-player,” in a video game while Phoenix’s Kevin Durant said the type of talent and skill he possesses “puts a smile on your face if you play basketball.”
“The hype is just crazy. But I get it,” McGrady said. “It’s the media, they’re looking for a face for the NBA, and you got to have a new star that you got to build around. Bron is about to be on his way out, Steph and those guys, I get it.”
McGrady went on to add that it’s hard to find a better situation for Wembanyama to be in, with mentors like David Robinson and Tim Duncan–who were both selected No. 1 overall by San Antonio–to look up to, along with playing under one of the greatest coaches in NBA History in Gregg Popovich, who inked a five-year extension earlier this month.
Wembanyama, 19, averaged 21.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks on 47.0 percent shooting in 34 games for Metropolitans 92 last season.
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