Throughout the course of NBA history, just a handful of players have been able to leave a permanent mark on the game. We’re talking about the Michael Jordans and LeBron James of the game.
Of course, the San Antonio Spurs hope that first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama will join that list once it’s all said and done. But he’s just walking his first steps in the league.
However, even if he has yet to make his professional debut, Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West believes that the French star has a similar game to Bill Russell, which is a lot to say.
Jerry West Compares Victor Wembanyama To Bill Russell
“You rarely see someone that combines his brain and his ability,” West started. “Just watching him play, it’s an easy game for him to play, very easy and it never looks like he is working. If you watch really great players, it never looks like they’re working hard.”
“When you watch him defensively, he ruins games. He reminds me a little bit of a bigger Bill Russell with a big reach, coming from everywhere— any offensive player is gonna have to be really cautious about where he is because he’s gonna mess up some offenses that’s for sure,” West concluded.
Well, if Wemby is able to win just one third of the championships Russell won, then he’ll already have a better career than most of his colleagues. Hopefully, he’ll stay healthy and live up to that unimaginable potential.
