Wembanyama Ranked Over Kings’ Domantas Sabonis in Top 5 of West Group C

Back in June’s 2023 NBA Draft, we saw the San Antonio Spurs secure a generation prospect at the top of the night with Victor Wembanyama. It’s no secret that the Spurs could have a potential gem of a player on their hands, with many considering him the greatest prospect in the history of the sport.

The 7-foot-5 19-year old will be entering the 2023-24 NBA season with some sky-high expectations and projections, even going into his rookie season. However, these most recent rankings for the NBA’s newest number-one overall pick have this hype train officially gone off the rails.

In ClutchPoints’ newest ranking of the top 5 players in West Group C of the NBA In-Season Tournament, the rook managed to secure a notable spot at 5th place on the board. It is a spot that shockingly puts him ahead of some All-Star level bigs, such as Minnesota Timberwolves F Karl-Anthony Towns, Golden State Warriors F Draymond Green, and even the Sacramento Kings’ own Domantas Sabonis.

ClutchPoints’ Shervon Fakhimi details his rationale behind his bold decision to rank Wemby ahead of some of the best collections of big men in the Western Conference:

"Perhaps Draymond Green, Domantas Sabonis, and/or Karl-Anthony Towns and their tenure in the NBA already should notch them ahead of a rookie. After all, they have made All-NBA teams before. But both Sabonis and Towns have spotty playoff track records and come with question marks defensively... That's not the case with Victor Wembanyama, the unicorn of all unicorns."

Nothing says that Wembanyama will not end up better than all three of these guys with some time. As far as what scouts and league executives project him to be, it could be inevitable.

However, ranking a rookie with zero games played over an All-NBA level center like Sabonis is totally premature.

Domantas Sabonis is fresh off a career season averaging 19.1 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists on 61.5/37.3/74.2 splits. The 3x All-Star was a key component in the Kings’ franchise revival en route to a 48-win season in close to 20 years. We aren’t even sure the Spurs will be above .500 this season.

Already placing Wembanyama above established veterans with a long-term history of league success in his rookie year is a recipe to be underwhelmed when he hits the NBA floor for the first time. He is a fantastic prospect, but his lack of offensive consistency and lanky frame may prevent him from entering the league as a fully-polished star.

Fakhimi further describes his reasoning for the ranking in his article, noting Wembanyama's elite defensive versatility and impact:

"Though Wembanyama can get punked a bit by bigger centers, there aren't a ton of those brutes out there that are focal points of their team's offense. And Wembanyama basically makes the rim his home with no one on the offense allowed entrance... Oh, and he can create offense and shoot like a guard, as well as do prototypical elite big man stuff. It takes projection to put him ahead of All-NBA caliber players, but Wembanyama is talented enough to do so."

While De’Aaron Fox managed to secure a spot ahead of Wembanyama at 4th on the list, seeing the Kings' big get his deserved recognition might take another season of standout play to gain more respect around the association. Players ahead of Fox include Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Stephen Curry. While Fox’s rank could also be up for debate, that’s for another discussion.

Wembanyama and Sabonis will face off early next season on November 17th as a part of the NBA In-Season Tournament in San Antonio. With the Kings’ looking to have another outstanding offensive team this season like their last, it might be a tall task for the French phenom to stop.

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