Victor Wembanyama did something as a rookie that Kevin Garnett had never seen before, and it left him in awe.
Wembanyama was a highly-regarded prospect as a rookie. He is expected to one day become a generational talent with the San Antonio Spurs, and showed exactly why in his rookie season.
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The Frenchman averaged 3.6 blocks per game in his first NBA season, leading to discussions about whether he could win Defensive Player of the Year. But it was something Wembanyama did on offense that left Garnett in awe.
Victor Wembanyama made the ‘move of the year’ in his rookie season, according to Kevin Garnett
In his rookie season playing against the Memphis Grizzlies, Wembanyama made a play that amazed the former MVP, Garnett. Driving on Trey Jemison, he pulled off a Shammgod in the post, before hitting a spin move and finishing for a layup.
Afterwards, on KG Certified’s social media, Garnett said, “Not only to Shammgod a n—-a that’s 7’4″ or the same size as you, but to Shammgod a n—a from the post?
“That was the craziest s–t I’ve ever seen a big n—a do, yo. Yo, that the n—a was in the m———g post and he Shammgoded n—a… This move of the year, y’all.”
The word gets thrown around the league, but Wembanyama is a true unicorn. His ball-handling ability, shooting, and defensive prowess are something we have never seen in the NBA.
Wembanyama impressed individually in his first two NBA seasons, despite his second getting cut short due to deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. But his team has last season’s Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, and the number two pick, Dylan Harper. It’s time to win some games for Wembanyama.
Wembanyama is committed to self-improvement. He worked with Garnett this offseason in order to learn from the Boston Celtics legend.
Victor Wembanyama is following Kevin Garnett’s career path
Wembanyama can learn a lot from Garnett, who experienced similar struggles as a rookie. He didn’t have the same talent as Wembanyama. However, Garnett was drafted into a difficult situation and turned his team around.
Coming off the bench, Garnett won 26 games as a rookie, then 40 wins in his second season, making the postseason. The Spurs were also on track to compete for the play-in before Wembanyama’s injury in his second year.
In his third season, Garnett made the playoffs with 45 wins in the Western Conference. He averaged 18.5 points and 9.6 rebounds, and proved he can lead a team to a winning season. He was primarily a defensive player, but had developed on the other end early in his career.
Now, it’s time for Wembanyama to do the same. He’s already shown himself to be a greater talent than Garnett through two seasons, but he has a lot to prove. Can he rank among the NBA’s elite on offense, and can he lead the Spurs to a winning year?
Wembanyama would be hard-pressed to find a player who understands his circumstances better than Garnett. If he can lean on his wisdom, this could be a breakout season.