Victor Wembanyama has captivated the basketball world ever since his meteoric rise as a teenager in France. With his unprecedented combination of height, agility, and skill, many have hailed him as a future all-time great even before he stepped foot on an NBA court. The hype around him was immense, and when he entered the league in 2023, the weight of expectation could easily have crushed a lesser player. However, Victor Wembanyama surpassed expectations during his rookie year, winning the 2024 Rookie of the Year award and becoming a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award. His incredible debut exceeded even the most optimistic projections.
Don’t Ruin Victor Wembanyama’s Career with Expectations
A Cautionary Tale
Yet, as his career unfolds, it’s crucial for fans, media, and analysts to temper their expectations. The cautionary tale of Stephen Curry’s career provides a valuable lesson. For years, Curry faced unwarranted criticism for not winning a Finals MVP, despite being the greatest shooter in NBA history and leading his team to multiple championships. It wasn’t until 2022 that Curry earned that elusive accolade, silencing the doubters with his famous statement, “What are they gonna say now?” The narrative that Curry’s greatness was somehow incomplete robbed fans of the joy of witnessing his brilliance in real-time. Similarly, if we saddle Wembanyama with outsized expectations, we risk missing the magic he is already creating.
Wemby’s Defensive Floor is a DPOY
The French phenom had an eye-popping rookie season, with defensive stats that dwarfed established names like Rudy Gobert, a perennial defensive powerhouse. Wembanyama recorded almost 100 more blocks and 36 more steals than Gobert, putting him in the conversation as a future DPOY winner. Vegas sportsbooks have already pegged him as the favorite to win the award in the 2024-25 season. The buzz surrounding him is deafening, and deservedly so. But the danger lies in the increasing burden of expectation.
Victor Wembanyama is the runaway favorite for Defensive Player of the Year on Fanduel. pic.twitter.com/HfvHXGDnV5
— Jah (@JahlilWill) July 15, 2024
A Cautious Offseason
The San Antonio Spurs have wisely opted for a cautious approach in the offseason. The acquisition of veterans like Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes, coupled with drafting promising guard Stephon Castle, signals a balanced, long-term vision. Under the pragmatic coaching of Gregg Popovich, the Spurs are looking to improve without rushing the process of rebuilding around their prized asset. With Paul’s arrival, the Spurs have significantly raised their floor, which could position them to make a playoff push, likely through the play-in tournament. A stronger season in 2024-25 would undoubtedly elevate Wembanyama’s stock even further and speed up the Spurs’ timeline toward contention.
Yet, therein lies the issue. As the Spurs improve, so do the expectations for Wembanyama. Bill Simmons and other insiders have already called for the Spurs to be more aggressive in their approach to building around him. By year four, many will likely expect the Spurs to be contenders, with Wembanyama at the forefront of the conversation for MVP, DPOY, and a top seed in the Western Conference. These expectations could easily become unrealistic. Any season in which Wembanyama doesn’t meet those lofty standards will inevitably be framed as a disappointment or, worse, a failure.
Taper Expectations For Victor Wembanyama
It’s important to remember that greatness takes time to materialize fully. Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of all time, did not make his first Finals appearance until 1991, seven years into his NBA career. Jordan, too, had to endure years of building, growing, and falling short before finally ascending to the mountaintop. Similarly, we must allow Wembanyama the time to develop at his own pace. Expecting him to lead the Spurs to championships during his rookie contract is not only unrealistic but potentially harmful. Give him until year six or seven before making such demands.
If Wembanyama breaks through earlier and leads the Spurs to the Finals sooner than expected, that would be a welcome surprise—an outlier, not the norm. However, we should resist the urge to let that become the baseline expectation. A paradigm shift is needed in how we view Wembanyama’s career. Instead of focusing on the impossible task of meeting every lofty expectation, we should appreciate the generational talent unfolding before our eyes, one game at a time.
The Last Word
If we allow expectations to get out of control, we will look at Wembanyama’s future achievements with a glass-half-empty perspective, focusing more on what he hasn’t done than on his incredible accomplishments. The joy of watching him blossom into a star will be stolen by comparisons and endless demands. Let’s not make that mistake. We must let Victor Wembanyama chart his own path to greatness, free from the crushing weight of unfair expectations. Only then can we fully enjoy the journey of one of the NBA’s brightest young stars.
