Victor Wembayana and the fate of the NBA

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The NBA currently boasts of a host of talented players, but the top positions are increasingly being occupied by non-American players. While LeBron James and Steph Curry are all-time greats, their successors include international players like Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. However, none of them have captured the public imagination better than French sensation Victor Wembanyama.

Touted to be in the same league as legends Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan and LeBron James, the 7-foot-4 player is expected to be named the top draft of the upcoming season.

What is the expected impact of Wembanyama on the NBA? With his large frame and “wingspan”, he is expected to be key to the defense of the lucky team that drafts him, by eating up the space available to the opponents.Comparisons have also been drawn between the Frenchman and LeBron James, who are both known for being agile despite their large frames, and their ability to calculate moves, with some of the opinion that he could have replaced James as the top pick of 2003, if he was in action then.His height also permits him to take successful shots from 29 foot away, which is expected to be a game changer in the era of three-pointers, along with the advantage it gives him on tackling shoots and dunks from the opponent team.

While promising players with unique skills have left their mark in the NBA over the years, Wembanyama is expected to completely transform it.