A deep dive into Wembanyama rookie season provides newfound appreciation

Victor Wembanyama's first season in the NBA certainly lived up to the hype, and the league's next big star can confidently call his rookie year a personal success. To gauge Wembanyama's impact or what he might achieve in the NBA, one only needs to compare his numbers to those of other past and present stars in their debut seasons.

You don't realize just how legendary Wembanyama's rookie year was until you look at the whole picture

In terms of scoring, the French sensation was relentless, putting up nearly identical points to stars like Luka Doncic in his rookie year. Wembanyama racked up 1,522 points, just 4 shy of Doncic, placing him as the 4th highest-scoring rookie in the last 10 years.

Rebounding, an area where Wembanyama was expected to shine, did not disappoint. The French big man pulled down 755 rebounds in his first season, ranking him third among rookies in the last 15 years. He out-rebounded players like Deandre Ayton, DeMarcus Cousins, and Ben Simmons in their rookie campaigns, trailing only Karl-Anthony Towns and Blake Griffin.

When it comes to shot-blocking, Wembanyama's dominance was almost inevitable, thanks to his height and skill set. Standing over 7 feet tall, he recorded an astounding 254 blocks, ranking him as the 4th best rookie shot-blocker in NBA history and the top in the last 30 years. Though he still trails another Spurs legend, David Robinson, he surpassed Tim Duncan, who managed 206 blocks in his rookie season.

Even in three-point shooting, not necessarily his strongest area, Victor averaged 1.8 three-pointers made per game, making him the third-best rookie in that category last season and 21st overall in the past five years. This showcases his versatility and ability to contribute to multiple facets of the game.

Victor Wembanyama's first NBA season was undeniably impressive and met the sky-high expectations placed on him. But looking ahead, the expectations will only grow, not just for NBA fans but especially for the San Antonio fanbase.

They hope that with better teammates and more experience, Wembanyama will evolve into the hero who can return the Spurs to prominence. The dream of hanging a sixth championship banner in the Frost Bank Center is alive, and Wembanyama could be the key to making it a reality.