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If anyone understands greatness, it's Phoenix Suns All-Star Kevin Durant. However, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is starting to pave his journey. After being drafted first overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, expectations were lofty. The 7'4 center from France was everything as advertised. Funny enough, Wembanyama historically won Rookie of the Year.
Not to mention, he made the All-Defensive first team, in addition to coming in second place for the Defensive Player of the Year award. With much of the discourse lately about who will be the face of the league, many say Wembanyama. He's been nicknamed ‘the alien' because no one has seen his skill set before.
His mix of shooting, ball-handling, and inside offensive game, as well as his defensive acumen, is impressive. Fast forward to his sophomore season, and he's been the focal point on both sides. Even though there have been some criticisms, Durant understands how Wembanyama wants to get better.
The Suns forward explained via Tom Petrini of the Silver & Black Coffee Hour on Wednesday about what's next in the French center's development.
“I don't think anything's missing,” Durant said. “I just think he needs to experience more in the NBA. It's still early for him, the second year. He's yet to be in the playoffs, which is an eye-opening experience for every player, especially his caliber.
“He'll learn a lot about himself and his team in that situation. I just think he's on the right path to being one of the greatest we've ever seen, and it's just about, you know, going through those experiences in real time and learning from them to get better, so I mean, he's on the right track.”
Kevin Durant sees some of himself in Victor Wembanyama
Both Durant and Wembanyama have a similar background from a basketball perspective. They were drafted within the first two picks, won their respective Rookie of the Year awards, and showed early progress in their careers. Now, the Suns' average leading scorer is regarded as one of the best in the game.
He's continually made history this season. Most recently, Durant surpassed the 30,000-point milestone with the Suns. Only a handful of other players have been in that position. His longevity and consistency are beyond impressive. However, the latter sees a similar trajectory with Wembanyama.
In his first matchup against the French native in 2023, he had high praise for the Spurs rookie. The same sentiment applies, but he's now begun to dissect his game. After all, Wembanyama's averages have increased almost everywhere across the board. He leads the league in blocks once again and is taking his offensive game to new heights.
He's nearly doubled his three-point attempts and knocked them down at a respectable 35.2% clip. Still, many of these shots are off the dribble, pulling up, or off-balance. He rarely gets a catch-and-shoot opportunity, which makes it all the more impressive.
The two stars will square off on Thursday in Austin, Texas, home of Durant's alma mater. There might be elements of Victor Wembanyama's growth that surprise Kevin Durant and vice versa. His compliments show the respect between the two hoopers, as well as the Spurs center's continued progression.
Either way, it should be a fun and exciting matchup between two of the most uniquely gifted players in the NBA.
