Will the No. 1 overall pick take home hardware in his first NBA season?
SAN ANTONIO — Victor Wembanyama is one of the most hyped NBA rookies in league history, but he may not be a lock to win Rookie of the Year due to rule changes and steep competition around the league.
Locked On Spurs host Jeff Garcia was joined by KENS 5’s Casey Viera to debate Wembanyama’s chances.
“To say that Wemby is a lock for this is far too premature,” Viera said. “In my mind it’s very much up in the air. I think the Spurs are going to be very, very, very concerned with Wemby.”
San Antonio is known for patience with injuries, and the NBA has implemented a minimum 65-game requirement for all awards. Meanwhile, No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson is expected to produce at a high level in Portland, while 2022 No. 2 pick Chet Holmgren will also qualify as a rookie after missing last season due to a foot injury.
“The word on the street about (Wembanyama) is he’s uber-competitive and he has that drive to maximize playing time,” Garcia noted. “I think he will play those 65 games, because I think he also wants to get the ROY.”
Wembanyama competed in the French league playoffs nearly all the way up to the NBA Draft, weeks after other players were shut down. He also played two Summer League games with little to prove.
“I could see the Spurs saying, ‘look, we can see that you want this award but we need to talk to you about your long-term vs. your short-term,'” Garcia admitted.
Wembanyama’s biggest impact is also likely to come on defense, an area of the game that is not typically rewarded by voters. That, combined with the pressure and stakes he will face as a purported prodigy, could make his rookie season unique.
“I think it’s going to be a combination of things for Wemby,” Viera said. “I think it’s going to be the load management, it’s going to be the big target on his back, the big pressure. You slap the label of ‘generational’ on someone’s back, and it’s a lot.”
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