“He’s incredible” - NBA star Victor Wembanyama speaks up on comparison with Barcelona ace Lamine Yamal 

NBA star Victor Wembanyama addressed the comparisons between him and Barcelona footballer Lamine Yamal. The French basketballer grew into a superstar as a teenager and went on to establish himself as one of the best in the NBA at the San Antonio Spurs.

Yamal has become vital to Spain and Barcelona after bursting onto the scene as a 16-year-old. Speaking in a recent interview with Mundo Deportivo, the Frenchman admitted he saw similarities between himself and the Euro 2024 winner, saying:

“Would I compare myself to Lamine Yamal? It’s very accurate. We see a lot of younger and younger professional players and Lamine Yamal is one of them, of course. He’s incredible."

Lamine Yamal has been a part of Barcelona's first team since 2023 and has already made 84 appearances for them, scoring 18 times and providing 23 assists. He has helped the side to one LaLiga and one Spanish Super Cup. He has also represented Spain 17 times, scoring three goals and providing eight assists.

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When Barcelona star Lamine Yamal picked his favorite former player at the club

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal revealed that his favorite former player at the club is Neymar, not Lionel Messi. While the Argentine superstar is widely considered the greatest player in the club's history, his former teammate captured the imagination of the Blaugrana's prodigy.

Speaking about his admiration of the Brazilian forward, Yamal admitted he remembered following the star since his time at Santos and that he admired his style and spectacle, saying (via talkSPORT):

“I was five years old when I saw him [Neymar] at Santos but seven years old when I saw him in person at FC Barcelona at the Camp Nou it was incredible to see him. Yes, it’s true that Messi was there who was also incredible, but he was something totally different."

The Spaniard concluded, saying:

"Neymar has always been my idol. He’s a star, a football legend. He made me go see the games. He made me have fun, it was a spectacle, it was nice to watch him play. I've always said that the best in history is Leo Messi, but the player I liked to watch was Neymar."

Yamal is set to enjoy a long and prosperous career with Barcelona and is contracted to his boyhood club until the summer of 2026. The 17-year-old has been lethal this season, bagging 11 goals and 16 assists in 2684 minutes across 33 games.