"The hype is crazy": No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama draws Bol Bol, Kristaps Porzingis comparisons from Tracy McGrady ahead of NBA debut

The anticipation for Victor Wembanyama's NBA debut can be compared to what it was like when LeBron James was one of the highly-anticipated prospects entering the league in 2003.

Despite posting 27 points and 12 rebounds in his final Summer League game, Tracy McGrady talked about the hype surrounding Wembanyama in an interview with GQ Sports' Howard Beck.

"I'm just saying the hype is crazy to me," McGrady said. "Ya'll act like you haven't seen it. That s**t that Bol Bol can do? He's just not given the real opportunity, like I think he should. Porzingis was highly skilled when he first came out, and he's 7-3 too. So I've seen it."

From McGrady's perspective, he acknowledges the talent and the upside that Victor Wembanyama has. The French prospect averaged 21.6 points per game (47.0% shooting, including 27.5% from 3-point range) and 10.4 rebounds for the Metropolitans 92.

The former NBA player also added that he understood why the media narratives placed this hype train around Victor Wembanyama. The anticipation can be allocated with the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry nearing the end of their respective careers.

His upside can be compared to the likes of Bol Bol and Kristaps Porzingis due to his ability to shoot the ball from the perimeter at an efficient clip with his size.

The two mentioned players have found different levels of success playing in the NBA.

Porzingis started his career with the New York Knicks as the fourth pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He played for three seasons with the team before playing the next three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks.

After his time in Dallas, he transitioned to the Washington Wizards, wherein his game matured. The upside has always been there for Porzingis with his shotmaking ability as he is coming off a career year with the Wizards. He finished last season averaging 23.2 ppg (49.8% shooting, including 38.5% from 3-point range) and 8.4 rpg.

On the other hand, Bol Bol has struggled to receive the proper opportunities to take his game to the next level. After three seasons with the Nuggets, he started to see some consistency in his playing minutes when he played for the Orlando Magic last season.

Bol finished the 2022-23 season by averaging 9.1 ppg (54.6% shooting, including 26.5% from 3-point range) and 5.8 rpg.

Similarly to these players, Victor Wembanyama must strengthen his build to take up contact against the NBA competition. This was one of the question marks associated with Wembanyama, similar to Porzingis and Bol.

Compared to those players, Victor Wembanyama thrives with the ball in his hand and counter defenses set on him with his shooting ability and handles.

Looking back on Victor Wembanyama's comments after his Summer League debut

Victor Wembanyama's Summer League debut left much to be desired. The No.1 pick dropped 9 points (2-of-13 shooting), 8 rebounds, and 5 blocks.

After the game, he spoke to the media to give his thoughts on his first Summer League game, as The Guardian's Betsy Reed reported.

"Special moment," Wembanyama said. "Really special to wear that jersey for the first time. It's really an honor."

Despite struggling on the court, Victor Wembanyama was determined to bounce back as he dropped a double-double outing in his second Summer League game. After his second game in Las Vegas, he was sidelined by the San Antonio Spurs as a cautious move on the rookie.