San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama did more than enough in his rookie season to show why he was regarded as a generational talent before even getting to the NBA.
Now, it appears players around the league are taking notice — with pending free agents even wanting to team up with the 2024 Rookie of the Year.
“Every free agent, every veteran guard, they all want to play with Victor Wembanyama.”
–@DraftExpress on the San Antonio Spurs’ priorities this summer: They want to win. https://t.co/izlga6IhY5 pic.twitter.com/rCQidhxrOz
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 3, 2024
While it would be nearly impossible to poll every upcoming free agent to verify that they all want to play with Wembanyama, it’s certainly safe to assume that many do.
In his first NBA season, the 20-year-old averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game across 71 appearances. He also blocked 3.6 shots per game (tops in the NBA) and added 1.2 steals per contest, marks that helped him secure an All-Defensive nod.
With the defensive chops clearly already in an elite place for Wembanyama, he may just be a season or two away from getting his offensive game to a place where he’s virtually unstoppable on both ends of the floor.
It’s also worth noting that he was able to put together his stellar rookie season with a roster that wasn’t exactly catered to his needs. The 2023-24 Spurs lacked elite talent and won just 22 games.
If San Antonio can have a productive offseason and give Wembanyama some help in certain areas, his game should reach new heights, with the Spurs perhaps benefiting in the win column.
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick already said that some players — including prospects — have reached out to him about potentially teaming up, so it appears that all signs are suggesting the same thing: that Wembanyama is a major attraction.
The Spurs haven’t made the playoffs since the 2018-19 season, and they haven’t won a playoff series since the 2016-17 season. Earning a playoff bid next season would mark major progress for the organization — and would require a major shift from its recent results — but with so many options on the table for the team going into the offseason, anything is possible.
Wembanyama seems to be doing all of the right things so far in his NBA career, and it could lead to an exciting new era in San Antonio.
