Until Wembanyama snatches the league's chain, SGA is right to claim "best player" title

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander told TIME magazine that he's the best player in the league.

"I think I'm the best player in the NBA. I think the production that I have night in and night out is best-player-in-the-NBA production." - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

He should feel like the cat's meow. SGA is coming off his second consecutive MVP award after averaging 31 points on 55% from the field. It's unreal efficiency from the guard position. He's also no slouch on the defensive end. You don't win the championship every year, but as far as individual accomplishments go, Shai's on top of the world.

Wembanyama has the talent to claim the crown, but he needs to separate himself

That's where Victor Wembanyama comes in. Plenty of writers believe he may already be the best in the NBA, myself included—ESPN's panel picked him for MVP with 102 points to SGA's 26, with the reigning back-to-back winner sitting fourth. But nobody can confidently say that he's firmly grabbed the obvious King of the Mountain title.

Wemby doesn't have regular expectations. He has legendary ones. That means forcing other great players in your era to bend the knee consistently, and that's what Spurs Nation hopes to see from the Alien this season.

Wembanyama is supposed to be the next one-of-one superstar. The one the prophecies spoke of. The One. Being the league's first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year award winner, leading the league in blocks for three straight seasons, and his freakish offensive ability say he's living up to those expectations thus far.

San Antonio went 62-20 last season and knocked SGA's Thunder out of the Western Conference Finals in Game 7 on OKC's home floor. But doubters will still point to Jalen Williams' absence and an NBA Finals that saw the Spurs give up lead after lead. So, Vic has to do more to become the undisputed king.

Wembanyama must dominate to make the NBA's best players concede

Win an MVP by a wide margin and leave no doubt. Finishing third with five first-place votes won't get it done. Lead another deep playoff run and dominate. If the Spurs lose, it can't be because Wembanyama got tired or performed poorly. Wemby has to impose his will again to earn the nod from the best players in the game. He has to make a statement this season.

LeBron James was undoubtedly one of the NBA's premier players in his first few seasons, but he became the clear-cut No. 1 guy around 2008, and there weren't many contemporaries claiming otherwise. When he started winning in Miami, it was definitely over for the "who's the best" conversations. Everyone knew LBJ wore the crown.

The same went for MJ. In 1986, Larry Bird once said they were playing "God disguised as Michael Jordan." When the Bulls' superstar reached his peak, very few claimed to be better. Listening to retired players talk about what it was like to play against him is tremendous content. They make the GOAT sound like the boogeyman.

Every generation has that one extraordinary individual who dominates the game at a level his peers simply can't reach. When that player reaches their pinnacle, the others have no choice but to accept it. They won't claim to be the best anymore because they know everyone will laugh at them.

SGA made his claim on October 8. He gets to back it up at the Frost Bank Center on October 20. Make sure we get to laugh at them, Victor.

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