The NBA has had plenty of global superstars down the years: From LeBron to Bryant, Jordan to Johnson, and Kareem to Byrd. A lot can happen in a career to derail predictions of success, but the absolute consensus right now is that the young player most likely to follow in the footsteps of those stars mentioned is Victor Wembanyama.
If you aren’t aware of Wembanyama, he is a young French player now widely considered to be the best defender in the NBA. He is also the face of the San Antonio Spurs franchise, a team that will be in the NBA Finals starting this week. Wembanyama and the Spurs are the favorites to win the Finals over the Knicks in the NBA odds at DraftKings. If that occurs, Wembanyama will likely enter the stratosphere of sports stardom.
A product of the French basketball system
Wembanyama’s career has been unusual so far in many ways. First, he didn’t come through the US collegiate system in the same manner as most players. He was taken by the Spurs as the No.1 draft pick in 2023 from France, where he played for Metropolitans 92 before setting his sights on the US. He arrived in San Antonio aged 19.
The player has an extraordinary mix of athleticism – he is a towering 7ft, 4 inches – and skill. He looks like a big man and defends like someone of his size, but it is coupled with a technical ability that is becoming more and more elite. He can handle the ball, shoot threes, pass, switch defensively and dominate around the basket. He is, in essence, transforming into an all-round complete package.
Wembanyama’s accolades are starting to rack up. He won the Rookie of the Year award in his first season, is a two-time All-Star, and was a unanimous pick for the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year this season. Many fans believe he should have been named MVP this season, too.
Wembanyama’s earnings could exceed all precedence
Financially, Wembanyama is in line to earn ridiculous sums. His next contract could be worth over $300 million with the Spurs, and that will only take him up to the age of 28. If he stays on this trajectory, it is not inconceivable that he could become the first NBA player to sign a billion-dollar contract. We are really talking about Michael Jordan expectations of stardom here.
The thing to note about him is that he is way ahead of where people expected him to be at this point in his career. Everyone knew he was talented – you don’t get drafted No.1 without having something special – but most believed he would need time to develop. He has taken a little bit of time, but the fact he is already seen as a leader on the court is extraordinary. The vast majority of players the same age as Wembanyama are acting as bit-part players in their rookie seasons, or getting time on the court in the developmental NBA G-League. Wembanyama is the best and most influential player on a team in the NBA Finals.
There are always hurdles to sports careers, and it remains to be seen whether Wembanyama fulfills his potential, but, at the moment, he is hurtling towards being considered the star of his generation, perhaps of several generations. The endorsements are flying in, so he will make a lot of money as the man propelled to be the face of the NBA globally. A billion-dollar star in the making.