Victor Wembanyama vs. Chris Broussard: The Joy-Sucking ‘Disappointment’
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Victor Wembanyama “comps” are fair; comparisons are a valuable scouting tool, even in the case of the super-hyped Frenchman destined to be the San Antonio Spurs’ choice as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, there are some “incomparable” things about him.
But “comps” that are mindlessly unfair? “Comps” that set this 19-year-old up to fail … when he becomes a Hall of Famer and NBA champion?
Those aren’t scouting tools, which is why Chris Broussard’s idiotic “comps” are an insult to all involved.
"If he's Kevin Durant, if he's Hakeem Olajuwon, he has not met expectations," Broussard said on FS1. "His expectations are to have a career like LeBron, Jordan, Duncan, Shaq or Kareem."
Tucked into Broussard’s take, in short: “Wemby” will be a disappointment if his career “only” matches that of Durant and Olajuwon. And that’s an insult to the kid, an insult to “LeBron, Jordan, Duncan, Shaq and Kareem,” an insult to KD and Hakeem …
And an insult to the intelligence of the viewer.
Broussard, for what it’s worth, did say he expects the presumptive No. 1 pick to become "one of the best players ever." But … that evaluation is not “worth” anything given Broussard’s ludicrous foundational point.
In short, the long-time NBA analyst has ruined his Wembanyama-related credibility with his harmful “hot take.”
Spurs fans, who are lucky enough to still be able to watch Wemby play live (see here), will surely agree: There will be no “disappointment” if Wemby matches KD, a four-time scoring champion who’s won back-to-back Finals MVPs … or if he matches HOF’er Olajuwon, who also won two championships, is the NBA's all-time blocks and made 12 All-NBA teams.
What Broussard (and other pundits) have done here is attempt to suck the joy out of watching the Wembanyama story arc, which is truly the central point of being both thefan and a media member.
The “disappointment” in this particular chapter of the story arc is, therefore not Victor Wembanyama … but rather, Chris Broussard.
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