Former NBA player Jeff Teague isn’t impressed with what Wembanyama has done in the NBA so far.
SAN ANTONIO — Many consider San Antonio Spurs‘ Victor Wembanyama as the next face of the NBA. With his professional demeanor off the court and his incredible skillset on the court, it is no wonder many teams would relish the chance to build around the All-Star center and make him the franchise player.
However, that may not be the case for former NBA guard Jeff Teague.
During his “520 Podcast,” Teague was adamant that he would take Orlando’s Paolo Banchero over Wembanyama at this point in their careers.
“I’m taking him over Wemby. I’m taking P5 over Wemby,” Teague said. “Right now, I’m taking him over Wemby, bro.”
Said Teague: “The reason I say he’s better than Wemby is because Wemby ain’t really did nothing. We just like Wemby because he’s a freak… He’s a phenomenal player, but I’m just going to go with what I see.”
Teague did complement Wemby on his defense, but went on to criticize him for not being available for a full season and for not showcasing his incredible defensive skills throughout an 82-game slate.
Let’s look at the tale of the tape between Wemby and Banchero:
Last season, Wembanyama played 46 games and averaged 24.3 points per game, 11 rebounds, 3.8 blocks (led the NBA), 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals. He shot 47.6 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from the three-point line before being sidelined with deep vein thrombosis in his shoulder.
Banchero appeared in 46 games for the Magic last season, and averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists, and shot 45.2 percent from the field and 32 percent from the three-point line. He’s also made the postseason while Wemby has not.
In three matchups against Wemby, Banchero, and the Magic are 3-0. Their in-game stats lean towards the Magic All-Star, with him posting 19.3 points per game, 7.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Wemby has averaged 18.0 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
Factoring in the comparison, one has to take into account that Orlando was further along in its rebuild before Wemby joined the Spurs.
Ultimately, Teague is entitled to his opinion. Still, if a team is looking for versatility to build around long-term, elite defense, offensive growth and a higher ceiling, and a non-ball-dominant player like Banchero, then Wemby is the pick.
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