The future of the San Antonio Spurs is brighter than it has been in a long time for one reason: Victor Wembanyama. The 2024 Rookie of the Year in the NBA did things no first-year player has ever done, and though the Spurs may not have won a lot of games this past season, that is likely to change in short order.
We are already aware that Wembanyama is well on his way to being one of the best players of his generation, if not one of the best players of all-time in a best-case scenario. But despite possessing otherworldly physical tools and an elite skillset, it can be argued that none of those attributes are Victor’s most valuable trait.
Like many all-time greats, Wemby possesses a one-of-one mentality in his approach to the game. He has made it clear time and again that he takes his career seriously, as evidenced by his strict training routines, workout regimens, and insistence on never getting too high or too low in his head.
It is that mental approach that is perhaps more likely to guide him to greatness than anything else, and it is also the driving force behind the latest Wemby story. Michael Rubin, the CEO of Fanatics, recently made a public appearance and detailed the first time he met Victor.
Wembanyama left his dinner with Tom Brady early
This past season, when the Spurs were playing the Knicks, Michael invited the Spurs star over for dinner, and he suggested a 7:30 or 8:00 start time. Knowing the early bedtime he sets for himself, Wembanyama instead asked if they could start earlier, around 6:00. With such a special guest set to come over to his house, Michael of course agreed.
To no one’s surprise, Victor arrived early to Rubin’s house. From there, he explained that during their dinner, legendary retired NFL quarterback Tom Brady called Michael. Since Brady lives around two minutes away, Rubin offered for him to come join them.
One can only imagine the conversations that went on between one legendary athlete and another one in the making. But after just 30 minutes of talking and sharing stories, Wembanyama looked at his clock and announced that he would need to head home with his bedtime coming up.
“There’s not another NBA player that would have looked at their watch and said, ‘hey, I gotta get ready for bed,'” said Rubin. “This is that discipline, that’s who he is … He left Brady after 30 minutes because he was so focused on reading his book and getting to bed on time. That’s Victor.”
Michael is right in that it is hard to picture any other player in the league being so dedicated to his craft that he would be willing to leave a dinner with Tom Brady early. We have already known that this is how Wemby goes about his business, but he continues to prove just how committed he is to reaching his sky-high potential.
