Victor Wembanyama's early career resume extends a long-running Spurs tradition

The start to Victor Wembanyama's career is only something you'd imagine for a created player in NBA 2K. He's a 2x All-Star, MVP candidate, soon-to-be All-NBA member, and the league's first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year. He did all of that at just 22 years old.

He joins the ranks of Spurs players who were also dynamic through their first three seasons. Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, and David Robinson made strong early impressions similar to Victor, leaving the rest of the league in shock about what was to come.

So let's think about it- where do Victor's first three years line up with those guys? Would it be an overreaction to suggest that he has the best career start in franchise history? I'll compare his resume to each player to see where he stands.

Comparing Wemby to Kawhi Leonard

This is an easy one to start with. Kawhi Leonard was an amazing role player in his early days for San Antonio, starting for an NBA Finals team in two of his first three seasons. He even won a championship in his third year, along with the MVP award for that series.

But it's tough comparing him to Wemby. For starters, Victor has been the centerpiece for this Spurs team since being drafted, while Kawhi was a new addition to a system that already delivered results. San Antonio won four titles in the Duncan-Popovich era before 2014, so Leonard wasn't the cornerstone for them until about 2015 (his fourth year).

Additionally, Wemby does wow you a bit more with his individual accolades. He's already an All-Star and will make an All-NBA team, while Kawhi didn't start racking up those achievements until years later. So it's fair to give Victor the nod over The Klaw.

Comparing Wemby to David Robinson

David Robinson's first three seasons were an early suggestion that he'd be one of the greatest bigs ever. In his debut year, he took home ROTY honors, made the All-Star team, and tacked on an All-NBA third team appearance.

He followed that up with two more All-Star appearances, another pair of All-NBA selections, and back-to-back defensive first teams. So, essentially, Robinson became a top-10 player over the first three years of his career.

Does Victor have the same trajectory? Sure. There's no doubt that he's currently a top-10 player in the league, arguably even top-5, given the MVP buzz and a looming All-NBA selection. Now, injuries have plagued him a bit as he played in just 46 games in his sophomore year. Contrast that with Robinson, who played all 82 in his first two seasons and 68 in his third.

Additionally, it took Wemby until Year 3 to lead the Spurs to the playoffs, while Robinson's group was top five out West in each of his first three seasons. So, given all of this, it's fair to give The Admiral the edge.

Comparing Wemby to Tim Duncan

Duncan had a similar effect in his first three years as David Robinson, and honestly, an even better one. His first season consisted of All-Rookie first team honors, a ROTY award, and an All-NBA First Team selection. He became the first player to do so in his debut year since Larry Bird, who accomplished that feat 18 years prior.

He then went on to make two more All-NBA teams, won his first championship in his sophomore year, and even took home MVP honors of that series. Long story short, Tim Duncan set a bar that seems impossible to reach for any player in their first three seasons, even for the 7'4 Frenchman.

So Tim Duncan walks away with the best three-season start in Spurs history, followed by David Robinson, then Victor, and finally Kawhi. But for Wemby, this isn't the end-all, be-all.

He still has an opportunity to put together a career that won't just be the greatest in the history of this franchise, but the best in the history of the entire league.

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