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There isn't much debate – if any – that San Antonio Spurs generational talent Victor Wembanyama will become the best player in the NBA. In fact, several of today's elite players have talked about how he'll end up as one of the game's all-time greats. Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has a slightly varied take on Wemby.
“I think by next season people (are) gonna be talking about (Wembanyama) as being the best player in the league,” the eight-time all-star said on national television.
While just about all estimates have the 20-year-old phenom ascending to the top of the league within five years, some have him there within three. The most ambitious projections seem to place Wembanyama as the league's best player in the next two years.
Lillard thinks the fellow unanimous Rookie of the Year will reach that individual pinnacle by next summer.
Damian Lillard's up-close view of Victor Wembanyama
The main reason for Lillard's opinion may come from his only first-hand account of Wemby.
After missing the Spurs, Bucks only meeting in Milwaukee on December 19, the French marvel more than made up for lost time when they met again on January 4.
Despite facing one of the NBA's best squads and heading in with a San Antonio team that was just 5-29 at the time, Wembanyama helped keep the Silver and Black competitive, scoring 27 points, grabbing nine rebounds and blocking five shots. But that impressive stat line – which was actually far from his most noteworthy of the season – begins to tell that story.
Perhaps no single game featured more eye-popping highlights from the first pick in last June's draft.
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For example, on any other night, Victor Wembanyama splitting a defense that included two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo by throwing the ball off the backboard before regathering and slamming it down for a one-man alley-oop would serve as the most awe-inspiring moment of the contest. Instead, it turned out the 7-foot-4 center was just getting started.
Wemby guarded by Giannis. #VictorWembanyama splits the double team and after he steps through, throws it off the backboard to himself for the slam. ⬇️#Spurs #GoSpursGo #PorVida pic.twitter.com/LEmAfuP2fd
— Hector Ledesma (@HectorLedesmaTV) January 5, 2024
Another of Wembanyama's marquee moments that night involved Lillard. After stealing a pass intended for Brook Lopez, the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up raced up the court with a left dribble, which is not his dominant hand. When Lillard tried to cut him off Wemby picked up the ball in fluid motion, went behind his back and with Lillard now out of his way, dunked on Lopez who, himself, has made a couple of All-Defensive teams.
QUE ISSO WEMBANYAMA QUE ISSO
😱😱😱🔥🔥🔥
Lillard e Brook Lopez ficaram tontinhos pqp
— Green y Green (@Green_Apostas) January 5, 2024
But Wembanyama may have saved his best moment that night for last. With Milwaukee hanging on to a three-point lead in the final minute of the game, Antetokounmpo went for a dunk that might've slammed the door with under :25 remaining. Instead, the All-Defensive first-teamer rejected the Bucks great at the rim, keeping the Spurs hopes alive in an eventual 125-121 loss.
That block was insane 😮 #Wembanyama vs #Giannis pic.twitter.com/kMDkCqKqa9
— 🇩🇯MedMj (@MedMj66) January 5, 2024
Considering the play itself, the players involved, and the time of the game, it registered as a signature moment of the NBA's 2023-2024 season.
The Spurs star actually had several other highlight-worthy players that night.
El show de Víctor WEMBANYAMA ante Milwaukee Bucks 👽
27 puntos, 9 rebotes y 5 tapones para competir hasta el final frente a un candidato al anillo.
Ojo al TREMENDO TAPÓN final que le pone a Giannis Antetokounmpo 😱😱
— Gerard Solé (@gsole14) January 5, 2024
It's a performance that made tons of folks take notice. Including, apparently, Damian Lillard.
