{"id":96361,"date":"2024-09-18T14:35:37","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T18:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=96361"},"modified":"2024-09-18T14:35:37","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T18:35:37","slug":"dont-ruin-victor-wembanyamas-career-with-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/09\/18\/dont-ruin-victor-wembanyamas-career-with-expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Ruin Victor Wembanyama\u2019s Career with Expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"

Victor Wembanyama<\/a> 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<\/a> the 2024 Rookie of the Year award and becoming a finalist for the Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award<\/a>. His incredible debut exceeded even the most optimistic projections.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Ruin Victor Wembanyama\u2019s Career with Expectations<\/h2>\n

A Cautionary Tale<\/h3>\n

Yet, as his career unfolds, it\u2019s crucial for fans, media, and analysts to temper their expectations. The cautionary tale of Stephen Curry\u2019s<\/a> 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\u2019t until 2022 that Curry earned that elusive accolade, silencing the doubters with his famous statement, “What are they gonna say now?<\/a>” The narrative that Curry\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Wemby’s Defensive Floor is a DPOY<\/h3>\n

The French phenom had an eye-popping rookie season, with defensive stats that dwarfed established names like Rudy Gobert<\/a>, a perennial defensive powerhouse. Wembanyama recorded almost 100 more blocks<\/a> and 36 more steals<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n

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Victor Wembanyama is the runaway favorite for Defensive Player of the Year on Fanduel. pic.twitter.com\/HfvHXGDnV5<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jah (@JahlilWill) July 15, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n