Since joining the NBA in the 2023-24 season, Victor Wembanyama has emerged as a remarkably unique talent. Playing for the San Antonio Spurs, he appeared in 71 games and averaged 21.4 points, establishing himself as the team’s leading scorer. His performance quickly earned him recognition as one of the league’s elite players. However, a surprising comparison by a former NBA champion placed an Eastern Conference standout above the Spurs’ rising star.
“The reason I say he’s (Paolo Banchero) 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,” Jeff Teague said, via Club 520 podcast.
While Jeff’s statements stirred controversy, Paolo Banchero has firmly established himself as one of the league’s premier talents. Playing for the Orlando Magic, he clinched the Rookie of the Year award and led the franchise offensively by averaging an impressive 25.9 points per game during the 2024-25 season.
Despite Paolo’s undeniable talent, many fans strongly oppose Teague’s perspective, favoring Victor Wembanyama as the superior player. Statistically, the Spurs‘ standout has surpassed Banchero in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks on average since his debut. Additionally, the Spurs star has maintained an impressive three-point shooting efficiency of 35.2%, outperforming the Magic star.
Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic.
Victor Wembanyama still working to recover peak shape after season-ending injury
Despite an impressive rookie season, his sophomore year faced an untimely setback due to deep vein thrombosis, limiting his campaign to just 46 games. Fortunately, he is set to rejoin the San Antonio Spurs for the 2025-26 season. To ensure a robust return, he pivoted his summer focus away from basketball to embrace an unconventional training regimen.
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Victor Wembanyama reveals something he wants to do differently from LeBron James and Michael Jordan
In an interview with L’Equipe, Victor revealed his surprising summer dedication to Kung Fu. “We were initiated there into the life of a warrior monk, which combines Buddhism and intensive kung fu practice… We used muscles that we rarely used and which were quickly overloaded,” he said.
Additionally, NBA insider Michael C. Wright reports that Wembanyama believes this Kung Fu training will significantly improve his body positioning and range of motion, elements crucial for a successful comeback.
