VICTOR WEMBANYAMA ROUND 1, PICK #1: DRAFTED BY:SAN ANTONIO SPURS POSITION: C HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 7-4 / 237 lbs SCHOOL/CLUB: Metropolitans 92 (France) COUNTRY: France STATUS: International BIRTHDAY: 01/04/2004
I really do think this is the main concern for him and I think this video makes a great point about excessive size like this, if the guy gets a foot or knee injury how durable is he going to prove to be? He's also the thinnest of all those guys that were mentioned, Samson, Yao, Smits, Bradley, all were not this thin coming into the NBA. It is the one concern I had about him even before the lottery, not cope, I feel like because of his build and size the injury concern here is rather large.
The size thing is a concern. I realize he does all them toe exercises, but remains to be seen how he'll be with the rigor of a NBA schedule. Even if they slot him in Forward spot, in swichy match-ups, he might still get put against big opponent bodies in situations. During the summer, might still have national team obligations. As far as French players making it, folks can point to older guys like Diaw and Parker. But recent French players have been either busts or meh: Seikou Doumbouya and Killian Hayes. We'll see how Wemby goes.
No one gonna mention Wemby got destroyed and swept in the French basketball finals where he played against Rockets legend Donatas Montiejunas?
I’d do him like Chet and sit him the first year and make him do nothing but strength and conditioning
Damn, why didn't they use somewhere nice downtown like that big park off the riverwalk? Kid must be shell-shocked going from Paris to that crap. Wish Texas cities weren't such sh*tshow.
I've highlighted his injury worries before, but honestly, that video makes me feel a little better about his chances. A couple of his comparisons played until they were in their early 30's, and most Spurms fans would take that, for sure. I doubt the Pacers regretted Rik Smits, and I know we didn't regret Yao, for instance. Those were solid draft picks. My worry for Wemby would be closer to Sam Bowie, who had had similar injuries including a stress fracture before he was ever drafted. Just looking at the guy's body, which might be closer to Bradley than Sampson, I really doubt at this point that the guy even has a Ralph Sampson type of career and impact. But as I also say, there are obvious reasons that I'm not paid for any of my sports opinions, haha.
By this I mean a dominant big rather quickly and arguably a top ten player in the league only to succumb to injuries rather quickly. Ralph Sampson was out of the league by age 31. I am excited for Wembanyama's potential; but I can see those knees not holding given the sharp cuts he likes to make on the perimeter. The one thing he'll have to his advantage is that the NBA doesn't have as much banging in the post and on the boards as it did back in the day. That could be very much to his advantage. So, I just worry about a freak tear or a wrong landing on a drive or even him landing on someone on a closeout on a three or on a block attempt on defense.
He is pretty cocky but astoundingly I feel neutral about all of this. I am more interested in what Porzingis can do in Boston.
