There is a question around the NBA regarding who will take on the mantle as the face of the league. Many have pointed at the young stars, including San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama. Veteran stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are all on the final legs of their careers. With that in mind, fans are curious to see which young player will rise to the call of being the poster boy of the association.
Wemby is one of the top rising stars in the NBA. In his second season, he became an All-Star for the first time, averaging 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.8 blocks. With what he’s achieved in the second year of his career, many expect him to become one of the top players in the league.
Scotty Pippen Jr., the point guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, stated on Monday’s episode of “Sloane Knows!” that he believes Wemby should become the league’s next spokesperson.
“Hopefully Wemby,” Pippen Jr. said (23:55). “It’s because he’s such a different talent. Like you just don’t see too many players like him.”
Wemby has one of the highest ceilings among young players in the league. In his first two seasons, he was a consistent candidate to win the Defensive Player of the Year.
In the 2024-25 season, he was the favorite to win the award. Unfortunately for the French star, he wouldn’t be able to argue his case as he’s been ruled out of the campaign. This is because he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis.
Former NBA star has a bold take on Victor Wembanyama
Since Victor Wembanyama became a player in the NBA, he’s often been compared to the Phoenix Suns’ big man Bol Boil. While the two are similar in physique, only Wemby has displayed a certain type of dominance and brilliance on the court. Even with that, it hasn’t stopped others from drawing comparisons between the two.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is the latest former NBA player to make such a comparison. On Monday, Hardaway appeared as a guest on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back” and talked about how Bol has the same abilities as Wemby but just hasn’t been able to showcase it.
“Bol Bol has the same abilities as Victor Wembanyama,” Hardaway said (16:10). “I think that Bol Bol hasn’t (gone) out there and showed it … but I see the same athletic ability.”
“I don’t know if it’s confidence,” he began, “but I’m always in Bol Bol’s corner. I see the potential in him and what he can do.”
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
