Victor Wembanyama’s father was a triple jumper.
Wembanyama’s mother is a former basketball player who became a coach and helped teach the sport to a 7ft 4inch generational talent who would eventually be praised as an “alien” by LeBron James.
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But what really makes Wemby so special?
How has the San Antonio Spurs rookie from Le Chesnay, France — one hour from Paris — already become so big in the NBA, scoring 38 points in just his fifth game and drawing huge praise from Kevin Durant and The King?
Start with his height, which has Wembanyama standing next to Rockets veteran big man Boban Marjanovic as a 19-year-old rookie who only weighs 210 pounds.
Then check out the stunning 8ft wingspan that allows Wemby to float freely from the paint to the perimeter and back, barely having to jump to dunk a basketball and blocking shots with surreal ease.
Fast-break slams, top-of-the-key 3-pointers, touch passes in the paint, pick-and-pop jumpers and soft floaters in the lane.
Wemby can already do it all, thanks to his young professional seasoning overseas and the alien-like combination of height, wingspan and pure talent that allowed him to score 38 points on 15-of-26 shooting, grab 10 rebounds, dish out two assists, record two blocks and collect a steal as the Spurs won their second consecutive game against Durant’s Phoenix Suns.
“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, well, he’s more like an alien,” James said in 2022. “I’ve never seen — no one’s ever seen — anyone as tall as he is, but it’s fluid and as graceful as on the floor.
“His ability to put the ball on the floor, shoot step-back jumpers on the post, step-back 3s, catch-and-shoot 3s, block shots. He’s for sure a generational talent.”
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The King added: “Hopefully he continues to stay healthy, that’s the most important for him personally. And, as you could tell, he loves the game. He was smiling a lot while playing the game.”
Everyone from Dirk Nowitzki and Giannis Antetokounmpo to Kristaps Porzingis and Durant have influenced Wembanyama’s game.
There was a time when big men were forced to play inside the painted area and only crossed the 3-point line when offense was transitioning to defense.
If Wemby had arrived in the 1980s, there’s a chance that he would’ve played a different sport entirely or failed to find a place in the NBA.
In 2023, 3s are worth more than 2s, the court is more open than ever, and The Association has embraced Wembanyama’s incredibly diverse attack with open arms.
Then there’s the fact that Wemby plays the game with joy.
The French rookie shoots, sprints, passes and defends like hustle is still in style and he has everything to prove to the basketball world.
“His enthusiasm for the game — you can tell that through the TV and playing against him,” Durant said. ”He’s his own player, own person. He’s going to create his own lane and is much different than anyone else who has played.”
An athletic family helped shape Wembanyama.
He’s humble, worldly and self aware off the hardwood, recognizing his unique place and clear championship potential.
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But Wemby is not Wemby without his height and wingspan.
He blocks a shot, races down the court and slams home a basketball.
He flashes in the paint, calls for the ball like a 1980s center, then easily lays it in while barely lifting his feet off the floor.
There are alley-oop dunks, smooth passes and knock-down 3s that display supreme NBA confidence.
Wembanyama is a basketball unicorn who doubles as an alien.
If the Spurs rookie keeps dominating the hardwood like this, the Hall of Fame isn’t that far away.
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