San Antonio Spurs Rookie Phenom Victor Wembanyama: Top 50 NBA Player?
Victor Wembanyama hasn't played in a regular season game yet, but he's already considered to be one of the NBA's best players.
This year marks the 13th season that ESPN has created the NBArank list. This is a list made by ESPN expert panelists that ranks the 100 best players in the NBA.
The list is full of stars in the NBA, but there are always rookies that are on the list as a result of the impact that they can make as soon as they step foot on the court. Everyone assumed that Wembanyama was going to make this list going into the season, and he came in at the No. 47 spot.
This ranks the San Antonio Spurs star 10 spots higher than Zion Williamson, the last player that people made the claim of being the most exciting rookie since LeBron James.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first preseason game
Rob Ferguson-USA TODAY Sports
There is almost no doubt that Wembanyama will improve in his rookie year in the NBA barring any injuries, and as a result, he will be higher on this same list going into next season. But to see Wemby this high on the list before he has played an official regular season game speaks to just how much of an impact everyone feels that he can make immediately in this league.
"How exactly will the Spurs use Wembanyama?", ESPN's Andrew Lopez asks. "Coach Gregg Popovich said one of the questions to be answered in training camp is figuring out if Wembanyama is a power forward, center, or even a small forward. Wembanyama said there are no limitations on his role. What's clear is the San Antonio will use the rookie in different ways."
If Wemby can exceed in every role that he is put into and become the utility knife of a player that he has the opportunity to be, he could very quickly climb the ranks of the NBArank list. He and the rest of the Spurs will be back in action on Friday against the Miami Heat. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
