NBA analyst Kenny Smith made a bold prediction regarding rookie Victor Wembanyama.
The first overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft will perform under plenty of scrutiny and expectation when he makes his NBA debut in the upcoming season. His first couple of starts for the San Antonio Spurs were a mixed bag, but he is expected to take the league by storm with his incredible height and excellent skill.
Smith expects him to make a significant impact sooner rather than later, speaking during a Summer League game between the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat he said: "In year four, he'll be the MVP of the league. I think in four years they will be good. They will be good enough to contend. They might have another player with them.
“He will know the league, there will be no LeBron James, there will be no Steph Curry, there will be no Kevin Durant at their heights. So in four years, he will be the MVP of the league."
After scoring just nine points on debut in the San Antonio Spurs’ 76-68 win over the Charlotte Hornets, Wembanyama bounced back in a major way against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Though his team lost 85-80, he scored 27 points and 12 rebounds as he produced the type of performance he will hope to deliver on a consistent basis in the new season. Fans will have to wait until they can see the teenager in action again however, as both Wembanyama and the Spurs appear to have decided he will play no further part in the Summer League.
San Antonio Express-News reported that the Frenchman was always set to play just two games in order for him to get his first taste of NBA action. It has been a hectic past 12 months for Wembanyama who had a very short turnaround between his French league finale and the NBA draft which was held on June 15.
He was due to represent France at the FIBA World Cup towards the end of August but later told L’Equipe he would rest. “The French team is as central to my career as ever. I want to win every title I can with them. But to achieve that, this summer is a necessary sacrifice,” he said.
Now, he will shift his focus to his first full season in the NBA, where he will aim to help the Spurs climb back up the Western Conference under the expert tutelage of legendary coach Gregg Popovich.
"Like, this past month, I think basketball wasn't even 50% of my schedule," Wembanyama said. "I can't stand it. I know it's a special moment in my life, but I'm just glad it's over, honestly. I just want to hoop, work out and lift, because this is my life. Obviously, every first pick is going to go through this. And it just makes me better for the future."
Speaking of the 74-year-old, he recently signed a five-year contract extension, to the delight of Wembanyama. “There’s something great going on, starting,” he said. “We kind of knew it was going to happen, but now it’s, let’s get it rolling. We can get started now.”
