"He defends like Rudy, he shoots and has the size of Kristaps Porziņģis, but he can run and play like Giannis" - LA Clippers forward opens up on what can be expected of Victor Wembanyama

Victor Wembanyama took the NBA by surprise after his performance in Las Vegas, but there are some who recognized his potential long ago. Fellow Frenchman Nicolas Batum is one of those players who has kept a close eye on Wembanyama’s growth and potential to be one of the best ever.

Batum touted, almost three years ago, that Victor Wembanyama would be the future of the NBA, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Hayes. But the veteran NBA indsider did not believe him at the time.

However, in a recent Yahoo Sports Q&A, Chris Haynes acknowledged his lapse of judgment, and the LA Clippers forward rubbed it in, saying:

“I know. I tried to warn you. I told you before anybody knew about him.”

“Well, he defends like Rudy, he shoots and has the size of Kristaps Porziņģis, but he can run and play like Giannis [Antetokounmpo],” he added. “And I told you that three years ago, right? Was I lying?”

Victor Wembanyama went up against Scoot Henderson in two back-to-back games in Vegas, as both future prospects put on strong performances. The bag of skills and potential that Victor possesses is likely to push Henderson into the second pick, despite his readiness.

NBA teams in the rebuilding phase have already started looking at their options to bring Wembanyama on board and may consider tanking with passion to make it happen. Teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic and the OKC Thunder – to name a few – are sure to place their bets on Wembanyama and Henderson.

The French connection between Batum and Victor Wembanyama

Nicolas Batum was able to make such bold claims because he got to see Victor Wembanyama in action at a very young age. The first thing Batum noticed in Victor, apart from his build, was his ability to dribble the ball. Batum immediately called his partner/co-owner of ASVEL Basket – Tony Parker – claiming he saw the next one.

“I’m not saying he’s next for French basketball; he’s next for basketball. As for French basketball, you had me, [Evan] Fournier, [Rudy] Gobert. But when I say next, I’m talking about the world of basketball,” Batum clarified. “The buzz for him is similar to when Luka [Doncic] came in four years ago. It’s kind of the same hype.”

What’s even more uncanny is the maturity Victor already possesses as an 18-year-old. Batum feels Wembanyama knows what is expected of him to live up to the hype and said that he doesn’t really need mentorship.

“We’re there if he needs us. But he’s not an ordinary 18-year-old. He’s got a 25-year-old mindset,” Batum said. “He just needs to get his body ready. He’s still young physically. Mentally, he’s there.”

The amount of attention Victor has garnered since his appearance in Vegas is testament to his potential in the league. Many NBA stars acknowledged his game, and Giannis Antetokounmpo even mentioned that he’s preparing for Wembanyama’s arrival.