Wembanyama tops list of the most promising young bigs in the NBA

Victor Wembanyama is already a household name in the basketball community, and a recent article from Bleacher Report has called him the most promising young big man in the NBA. Though the 19-year-old is still months away from suiting up for his first regular-season action, he tops their list over up-and-coming stars like Zion Williamson, Chet Holmgren, and Jaren Jackson Jr.

This column discusses whether it is irresponsible to say Wembanyama has the highest ceiling of any frontcourt prospect before he sets foot in the league, and it arrives at a resounding no. Not only have all eyes been on him since he started his professional career in 2019, but he has welcomed pressure from critics and exceeded expectations at every step to becoming the first overall pick.

Wembanyama is a well-rounded player who can contribute on both ends of the court thanks to his astonishing length and elite athleticism. Renowned analysts have called him an otherworldly talent and compared his game-breaking upside to LeBron James. However, those statements have done nothing but motivate the French phenom to maximize his potential.

Zion Williamson was the last young player to generate this much buzz around the league, but injuries have limited his minutes, appearances, and performances. While he has plenty of time to turn things around, watching his talent go to waste has been disappointing for NBA fans.

A fractured foot left Chet Holmgren on the sidelines for what was supposed to be an exciting rookie season with the Thunder, and injury concerns are the main question mark surrounding Wemby. With that said, he has an intensive training routine to enhance the durability of his lower extremities. If the 7-foot-3 forward can stay healthy, he can challenge anyone on this impressive list of rising stars.

No one can predict when Wembanyama will become the best big man in the league, but Spurs fans should be fired up to have a generational player become the face of their favorite franchise. After a handful of seasons sitting at the bottom of the standings, there is hope San Antonio can become a dominant force in the near future.