As he enters his second NBA season, San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama is prepared to follow up on his impressive rookie campaign. Last season, Wembanyama won the Rookie of the Year award unanimously. He was the first player to achieve this since Karl-Anthony Towns did it after the 2015-16 season. Additionally, he finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting and was the NBA blocks leader. Many knew the French native would be impressive as an NBA player. However, even so, he still managed to exceed expectations immediately. His impressive run carried over into the summer during the 2024 Paris Olympics. Wembanyama led Team France to the final round against Team USA. Despite putting up 26 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal, Wembanyama could not lead his team to victory. Instead, he and his team earned a silver medal.
As is the case with many athletes, winning a gold medal in their respective sport is a monumental and important achievement. This is no different for the 20-year-old. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated (YouTube link), the Wembanyama revealed that he would rather win an Olympic gold medal than an NBA championship.
“Olympic gold medal would mean the most right now because you can win way less in a career. It’s very much more rare,” Wembanyama said.
Victor Wembanyama Reveals What He Prioritizes Over NBA Title
Evaluating the Next Chance Victor Wembanyama Can Win an Olympic Gold Medal
The Olympics take place once every four years. This means that Wembanyama will have his next opportunity to achieve his goal in 2028. Given that he and Team France earned a silver medal this time around, there is a legitimate chance they can win gold next time. By that point, Wembanyama should be even better than he is now, having five years of NBA experience up to that point. Additionally, he will be 24 years old and potentially just entering his peak as a basketball player. Furthermore, Team USA, the one team standing in France’s way this past summer, will have a lot of question marks at that time.
It is expected that LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant will all be done by 2028. Additionally, it is unknown what their expected future stars (i.e., Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, and Devin Booker) can do as Team USA’s leaders. Regardless, a lot can happen within the next four years. However, it is fair to say that Wembanyama and Team France are legitimate threats to end Team USA’s gold medal streak.
The Last Word On Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs
The future is looking incredibly bright for Wembanyama and the Spurs. In his rookie season, he took the league by storm and proved he is a future (if not current) star in the league. However, Wembanyama’s individual success did not translate to winning basketball right away. Last season, the Spurs finished with a 22-60 record for the second straight season. Furthermore, they finished with the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Things could be looking up for the team, however.
This summer, the Spurs landed 12-time All-Star Chris Paul. Additionally, the team drafted Stephon Castle and acquired Harrison Barnes. The Spurs likely will miss the playoffs again next season, especially considering how competitive the rest of the conference is. However, it is clear they improved and could surprise some people in the NBA world.
