By Alex Raskin Dailymail.com Sports News Editor
Updated at 17:56 on October 25, 2023, 18:38 on October 25, 2023
- Wembanyama, 19, will make his NBA debut Wednesday against the Mavericks
- James currently plays for the Lakers. In 2003, he was an 18-year-old rookie playing for the Cavaliers.
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San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembunyama is already a top-five player in the NBA, according to respected experts Brian Windhorst, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett 4 inches, the skill level is higher than that of LeBron James at the same age.
NBA reporter Windhorst, who has covered the Lakers star since his rookie season with the Cavaliers in 2003, did not hesitate to rank the 19-year-old Frenchman’s skills ahead of the 18-year-old James.
“I know they’re very different players,” Windhorst told his ESPN co-hosts before Wembunyama’s NBA debut Wednesday against the Dallas Mavericks. “(Wembanyama’s) skill level is much higher than what LeBron would have been at his age.”
Pierce compared Bunyama not just to James, but to the NBA as a whole, declaring the No. 1 overall pick to be among the five best players in the league.
“He is, today, one of the five best skilled players in the NBA,” Pierce said on Garnett’s Showtime talk show.
Garnett was hesitant to agree before his long-time former teammate Pierce reviewed the highlights from Wembunama’s preseason.
“He really showed me the ability to handle the ball, he showed me the ability to step back, he showed me the threat of lobs, the pick-and-roll — the pick-and-roll and the threat behind the pick-and-roll — and he really showed me that he can play in traffic. Get the ball and throw it to everybody,” said the lively Pierce.
Garnett stressed that Wembanyama is still learning and is not close to reaching his potential.
“He’s just playing ball,” Garnett said. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing yet.”
To emphasize his point, Garnett declared that the Spurs “should be in the playoffs” because of Wembanya’s overall ability.
“He gets it, and this is no ordinary thing,” Garnett said.
Wembunyama is arguably the most hyped NBA prospect since James left Akron High School in Ohio to enter the NBA draft in 2003.
In four preseason games, Wembanyama scored 19.25 points in just 21 minutes per night.
More importantly, he grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked 11 shots during that time while committing only 6 personal fouls.