Victor Wembanyama continues to separate himself from his rivals in surprising ways

San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama is already arguably the best player in the NBA, with one undeniable truth further illustrating it. Wembanyama is just 22 years old and the best player in the NBA under the age of 25. That makes it no surprise that he is head and shoulders above every other player in his 2023 NBA Draft class.

As CBS Sports' Sam Quinn points out, Wembanyama is the only player to receive a rookie max extension from the team that drafted him. That is a surprising trend considering the top three prospects in the 2023 NBA Draft class were hyped as being the best in years.

However, Brandon Miller and Scoot Henderson have yet to receive an extension—though Miller might before the start of next season. Still, to Quinn's point, aside from Wembanyama, there hasn't been any surefire superstar to emerge from his draft class.

Victor Wembanyama is far better than every player in his NBA Draft class

Miller looks pretty good three years in, while Henderson has yet to find his footing and probably won't with the Portland Trail Blazers. Not having any other players currently receive a max contract extension highlights the gap between Wembanyama and the rest of his draft class.

It also highlights the changes to how teams approach rookie extensions. Remember, San Antonio would often give their players extensions, with Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Keldon Johnson, and Devin Vassell, all receiving one.

That has begun to change, however, and not just for the Spurs. With the rise in rookie salaries, it's also increased rookie extensions. Instead of signing a young player to a long-term deal and risking it backfiring, teams are now more comfortable letting players hit restricted free agency.

The Spurs have already won the 2023 NBA Draft Class

The Spurs were going to do the same with Jeremy Sochan before ultimately waving him before it got to that point. After striking out on Sochan, Malaki Branham, and Blake Wesley, San Antonio got back on track by drafting Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper.

Now, they have the best young core in the NBA, headlined by Wembanyama. It's no wonder that the Spurs were able to go from the draft lottery to the NBA Finals in just one season.

With the rest of his draft class lagging behind his success, San Antonio is well positioned to contend for years to come. Particularly with Wembanyama taking a pay cut on his extension.

Not only did Wembanyama receive a max extension, but he also turned down a super max. Meanwhile, the rest of his draft class have yet to prove themselves.

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