Rival team's Hall of Fame legend offers to help Wembanyama, Spurs

The conversations surrounding Victor Wembanyama have continued as the offseason drags along. There is only about one month until the start of the season, and it feels like it will be here any second. For some of the San Antonio Spurs faithful, waiting for game one to arrive has been like hoping to see a Mandalorian take off their helmet, something most of them don't do. In the meantime, fans can bask in the spotlight shining on the most unique rookie in the NBA.

Spurs and Rockets fans rarely see eye to eye, but this revelation from Ralph Sampson highlights the brotherhood across the league and how so many former players couldn't care less about bitter team rivalries. Too many cooks in the kitchen can ruin a meal, but Wemby should be open to learning about any secret sauce formulas the 7-foot-4 center is willing to share as the Hall of Famer paved the way for the emergence of his archetype.

Ralph Sampson has wise words for Wembanyama

One can expect the master of minute management, Gregg Popovich, to exercise the utmost care in distributing court time for Wemby in every game throughout his rookie season. However, Sampson's comment about wearing out the number one overall pick is still a great nugget to remember. The Rockets superstar averaged almost 37 minutes per game in his second and third years in the NBA, and the toll that immense workload took on his slender frame was evident.

The 1985 season was the last year Sampson played more than 70 games as wear and tear caught up with the versatile center. He only made 43 appearances in 1986 and was traded to the Warriors in 1987, where he continued suffering setbacks from knee and back injuries. If Wemby plans on having a long and fruitful career, it would be wise to heed the warnings of past athletes with similar builds while continuing to be a forward thinker on maintaining his body.