There are very few NBA players who can be compared to LeBron James without inciting a full-blown argument. But one name who may have a fair case, at least in terms of the hype and build-up to his career, is 2024 NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.
It seems former San Antonio Spurs star Tony Parker agrees with that sentiment, as he compared the 20-year-old phenom to James during a recent interview with Yahoo Sports. Parker cited the expectations surrounding Wembanyama ahead of his rookie season, and he praised the 7-foot-4 unicorn for being unfazed by all the pressure.
“There’s nothing I can tell him, he’s ready … He’s not bothered by the pressure or the expectations. He’s a little bit like LeBron (James),” Parker said of Wembanyama.”
“The only one that can compare with so much expectation before you arrive is LeBron James. And Victor, the way he played his rookie season with the Spurs, he was unbelievable. So I hope it translates with a lot of championships for the Spurs, and I hope it will translate with a lot of medals for French basketball.”
Parker makes a fair point. The pressure surrounding Wembanyama before he even touched an NBA floor was at a level unseen since James entered the NBA as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. And like James, Wembanyama lived up to the hype virtually right out of the gate.
The young Spurs star not only won the Rookie of the Year award but also made a legitimate case for NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors. Rudy Gobert managed to hold off Wembanyama, but the Spurs big man averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and a stellar 3.6 blocks per game as a rookie.
Wembanyama’s ceiling is unbelievably high, and while Parker compared his entry to the NBA to James’, the 20-year-old’s career trajectory could lead to additional comparisons down the road.
