There has been so much hype already for Victor Wembanyama before he even got the privilege of being selected first overall by the San Antonio Spurs in the 2023 NBA Draft. And Wembanyama's jaw-dropping preseason only served to fuel the hype train even further. Wembanyama's two-way brilliance was in full display during the exhibition contests; his incredible defensive instincts allowed him to pull off unfathomable defensive plays, and he also flashed nifty ballhandling and alien-like movements that make every second he spends on the court must-see television.

And it seems as though the glimpses of superstardom Wembanyama has shown is enough to convince two all-time Boston Celtics greats Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce that the Spurs rookie is the next big thing. In fact, both Garnett and Pierce believe that Wembanyama won't need much time at all to marinate in the NBA before he starts roasting defenders and, before long, becoming an All-NBA and MVP candidate.

“Right now today, [Victor Wembanyama] is one of the top five skill players in the NBA,” Pierce said on the KG Certified podcast on SHOWTIME Basketball. “In the small sample, he has shown me the handle. He's shown me the stepback. He has shown me the lob, the pick-and-roll and the pick-and-pop threat. He can get the ball in traffic and dunk over everybody.”

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That is some lofty praise from the Hall of Fame small forward; being one of the top five most skilled players in the NBA puts Victor Wembanyama in contention already for an All-NBA spot… in just his rookie season. However, regular season games are going to be different than preseason contests.

But at the very least, Kevin Garnett thinks, Wembanyama's two-way impact will be more than enough to put the Spurs into the playoff conversation.

“The Spurs should make the playoffs,” Garnett added.

In a loaded Western Conference, that may not come true in Victor Wembanyama's debut campaign. Overall, this may be too much hype for someone who has yet to play a single regular season minute. But knowing Wembanyama's talent, it shouldn't be long until the Spurs rookie turns into the otherworldly force both Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett already peg him as.