Simply how good will Victor Wembanyama be this season?

By the center of final season, it was apparent the query was when, not if:

How lengthy earlier than Victor Wembanyama is the very best participant on the planet?

5 years? Three years? Discussing it with folks across the league, there have been some who stated subsequent yr, and whereas they could have been within the minority they weren’t laughed out of the room.

He might not be the very best participant within the league simply but, however what ought to we count on from Victor Wembanyama in his second season? And simply how excessive do you have to take him in your fantasy draft?

Recapping Wembanyama’s rookie yr

As a refresher, as a 20-year-old rookie, the 7’4″ heart out of France averaged 21.4 factors and 10.6 rebounds a sport, shot 32.5% from 3 (on 5.5 makes an attempt a sport), but he was a extra impactful power on the defensive finish of the court docket the place averaged 3.6 blocked photographs a sport.

Wembanyama was the unanimous Rookie Of the Yr plus completed second in Defensive Participant of the Yr voting.

Then he appeared even higher in the course of the Paris Olympics.

Wembanyama not solely confirmed progress in his sport between the top of the season and the Olympics tipping-off in France, however he additionally confirmed enchancment and a rising maturity in his sport in the course of the Olympics. Ultimately, he was pushing the best gamers of an American technology (comparable to LeBron James and Kevin Durant) and it required Stephen Curry taking up late to beat him and the French workforce.

After incomes a silver medal, Wembanyama issued a warning:

“I am studying, and I am frightened for the opponents in a few years.”

Did he imply FIBA opponents or the NBA?

“All over the place.”

How good will Wembanyama be this season?

We all know Wembanyama will deliver an improved sport to the court docket this season, however extra importantly he can have slightly extra veteran expertise round him to set him up. Final season, the Spurs had been the youngest workforce within the league, and that inexperience confirmed. This time round, issues are totally different.

Chris Paul — the very best ground normal level guard of a technology — is now orchestrating the assault, which suggests Wembanyama will get the ball in higher positions to attain. Harrison Barnes is a rock-solid, floor-spacing 4 to go subsequent to Wembanyama. The Spurs are simply higher round him, which can open issues up for Wembanyama in his second season — he might not rating much more in uncooked counting stats, however he ought to be extra environment friendly.

Let’s break it down by award:

Will he be an All-Star? That seems like a given, would not it? Wembanyama will make his first All-Star Sport.

The higher query is, will he be a starter? That is a a lot more durable job solely due to the depth of the Western Convention: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Nikola Jokic had been the frontcourt starters a yr in the past, and all are again. The West additionally has Anthony Davis, who was one in every of Crew USA’s finest 4 gamers (no less than) in the course of the Paris Olympics, plus can have the large Lakers’ nation fan vote behind him. Barring harm, it is a huge ask for Wembanyama to be voted in a starter forward of a type of guys.

It is also doable.

Will he make All-NBA? This additionally feels seemingly. Keep in mind that the All-NBA vote is now not by place, it’s simply the 15 finest gamers within the league over the course of the season. Wembanyama completed twentieth in voting a season in the past and will leap into the highest 15 this season.

Will he win Defensive Participant of the Yr? Wembanyama is the favourite to take dwelling the {hardware}. Do not take my phrase for it, he’s the heavy betting favourite. Wembanyama is at present -180 at our accomplice DraftKings, with second place being Rudy Gobert at +1100, adopted by Bay Adebayo at +1200. Wembanyama was second in DPOY voting a yr in the past and will take a step ahead, particularly contemplating the improved expertise round him.

Will he win MVP? Let’s not get carried away. Wembanyama very seemingly has MVPs in his future, however that award goes not solely to an elite private performer — which he shall be — but in addition somebody who lifts his workforce as much as a top-three (or no less than top-six) end. That is not taking place, the Spurs are improved and will make the play-in, however won’t end in a spot to win Wembanyama the award.

Might he end within the prime 5 in MVP voting? It is doable, unlikely contemplating the depth of competitors, however doable. Our companions at DraftKings have him ninth in MVP odds, which appears about proper.

Wembanyama fantasy outlook

That is courtesy ofRaphielle Johnson of NBC Sports activities, who checked out how huge a leap Wembanyama could make this season.

When an athlete arrives on the professional sports activities scene with the hype that Wembanyama obtained, it feels way more seemingly that they may fail to succeed in stated heights. His rookie marketing campaign didn’t disappoint, with the Spurs starting Wemby with the “coaching wheels” beginning him alongside one other huge in Zach Collins. Given his lithe body, the pondering was that Collins would act as a buffer for the bodily play Wembanyama was more likely to cope with. The one subject for him early on was a sprained ankle suffered simply earlier than Christmas, because the Spurs restricted the rookie phenom’s minutes till mid-January.

Wembanyama went on to win Rookie of the Yr and completed second in Defensive Participant of the Yr voting behind fellow countryman Rudy Gobert. Add in what he did in the course of the Paris Olympics, and there seems to be a persistent feeling of, “I hope you guys had your enjoyable as a result of the longer term is mine.”
Nearly as good as Wembanyama was as a rookie, that is thrilling (for followers, the Spurs, and fantasy managers who’ve him rostered) and terrifying (for opponents and people who do not have Wemby rostered) on the identical time. I do not know what his actual numbers will seem like, however I am banking on the addition of Chris Paul to assist make issues simpler for Wembanyama concerning the place he will get the ball offensively and the way a lot work he has to do to attain. Defensively, having a season’s value of references to study from might propel him to 4 blocks per sport, minimal (he averaged 3.6 final season).

He is the unquestioned prime decide in dynasty leagues, and in redrafts, Wembanyama is on a really quick record of choices for that spot. So long as he stays wholesome, the sky is the restrict for the Spurs sensation. I count on him to win Defensive Participant of the Yr this season. As for Most Helpful Participant, that award tends to favor gamers whose groups are bonafide contenders. I am undecided San Antonio will attain these heights in 2024-25, however he’ll get his arms on that trophy quickly sufficient.