Victor Wembanyama is ready to take the NBA by storm. Just about certain to join the San Antonio Spurs as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, the 7-foot-4 teenager out of Le Chesnay, France faces massive expectations to succeed at the next level. If there’s one thing that basketball fans worry about with him, it's his weight — or, rather, his lack thereof.
Being lanky as an NBA Draft prospect will always draw skepticism from basketball fans, even if the player is extremely talented. Chet Holmgren went through it last year and now Wembanyama, whose draft hype is on its own level, is under scrutiny for his lean frame.
Wemby talked to Good Morning America about the draft process and how he is getting ready for the NBA. He did note that he is taking steps to get bigger as the NBA Draft nears.
“I gotta eat whenever I can. Before practice, after practice, before I go to bed, after waking up, before the nap, after the nap,” Wembanyama said.
The French phenom's mobility and quick feet make him such a sensational player. Adding weight is a good idea but adding too much would compromise those facets of his game, though he does have to add a few pounds to adjust to the physicality of the NBA. The idea that all big men have to have bulky frames is a partly outdated mindset that often ignores how skill can overcome any deficiency in physicality.
At least in Wembamyama's case, he should easily be able to make up for his slight frame. He can shoot the ball and create his own shot very well and is likely going to be a wrecking ball on defense with his shot-blocking.
“What for? You should tell others to skinny up,” Wembanyama joked when asked about his need to bulk up. The Spurs' future franchise player has worked on his body for years leading up to the draft and now will have professional development staffers to help him in the NBA.
While it wouldn’t hurt Victor Wembanyama to add a few pounds, don’t expect him to drastically alter his body just for the sake of it.
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