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Victor Wembanyama has blazed an impressive trail with the San Antonio Spurs so far. The French and American citizen has become one of the most recognizable basketball players in the world and a likely shoo-in for First Team All-NBA honors sometime in the very near future of his career.
Wembanyama is seen as a new breed of basketball player. His impressive height at 7-feet-4 inches tall makes him considered to be one of the most dominant players in today's NBA. Shaquille O'Neal doesn't necessarily agree with that assessment, based on his latest comments.
“Wemby is a great player, but I don't really think you can be dominant when you shoot jumpers a lot,” O'Neal said. “I think if he was an inside player at 7'5, but when you shoot jumpers you're always going to go up and down, coach will tell you that.
“But he's a fine player, I wish him well, and you know I'm just glad after not being in the league so long to still be in that category,” O'Neal added. The Lakers legend also took aim at Wilt Chamberlain, offering a surprising statistical comparison that may cause fans of the fellow Lakers great to rethink their comparisons to the man known as ‘The Big Aristotle.'
.@SHAQ kept it real with the @PatMcAfeeShow about being considered one of the “most dominant” players in the game of basketball 🔥 pic.twitter.com/xztlJ0Tgjb
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 5, 2024
The O'Neal blast occurred at a time during a big change to Keldon Johnson's situation with San Antonio. The Spurs' NBA 2K25 ratings were examined.
Will Wembanyama smash through O'Neal's expectations? A lot depends on what definition of dominant is attached to his accomplishments.
Spurs' Wembanyama on the cusp of dominance?
Wembanyama doesn't fit Shaquille O'Neal's definition of a dominating big man, but he has redefined what the center position is all about in one short year with the Spurs and Coach Gregg Popovich's team.
Perhaps the greatest compliment that the Gregg Popovich disciple could receive is that his game is so smooth, he never has to appear dominant to dominate a basketball game on the court. He scores, block shots and affects the game in countless ways without having to appear as if he is trying too hard, if there is such a thing.
Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points per game, 10.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. The one area where he doesn't quite measure up may be regarding his field goal percentage. Wembanyama shot a hair under 47 percent from the field, a great number for most players but not necessarily indicative of a classic, traditionally dominating NBA big man.
Perhaps O'Neal is right, in this particular case and going by his definition. That being said, there's a strong chance that Wembanyama's opponents would tell a different tale, if polled by the media powers-that-be.
