Outside of the San Antonio Spurs franchise and its fanbase, as well as his family, there may not be a bigger fan of Victor Wembanyama than NBA insider and noted media member Bill Simmons.
Simmons, on the latest episode of The Bill Simmons podcast, mentioned that the “face of the franchise” conversation around the NBA should be over by now, as Wembanyama is clearly going to take up that mantle once the old guard consisting of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant retire.
“My attitude at the time was, you know it when you see it. You know it when it’s happening. And it’s happen this year with Wemby. He’s the number one attraction in the league. You can feel it in the games. People are going early to watch him warm up. Nobody leaves their seat when he’s on the court and he’s the most compelling guy they have, and it happened in the span of six months,” Simmons said.
Wembanyama is indeed an athletic marvel as a 7'4″ center who is not only the most terrifying defender to face in the entire NBA, but he also has a deep offensive arsenal that can make fans go ooh and ahh.
The Spurs' ascent into one of the best teams in the NBA in Wembanyama's third season has made the French superstar an even greater attraction, and it's hard to argue with Simmons that he has quickly become one of the most popular players in the association on a global scale.
Victor Wembanyama can cement “face of the league” status with Spurs title
Wembanyama and the Spurs have a legitimate shot at winning the title this season; they have a positive record against the Oklahoma City Thunder this season, and they have been elite all season long (they currently have a 57-18 record).
Should Wembanyama win a title this early in his career, that would only cement his status as the future face of the NBA.
