Outside of Victor Wembanyama, who is the Spurs’ biggest X-factor?
The San Antonio Spurs will lean heavily on Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals, but beating the New York Knicks may depend on another player stepping up at the right moment.
Editor’s Note: Click here for live coverage and all the latest news from Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs.
At 7-foot-4, Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs poses unexpectedly big problems.
Say, for instance, you are a fan who runs onto the court during Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Wembanyama, 22, is going to be too big for a selfie before security drags you away.
Another sizable problem is, like, how to defend the guy. We suggest prayer, and double- and triple-teams.
Some of the smaller problems involving Wembanyama − how to spell his name. Carefully, is what we recommend as you work through all 10 letters. Although it’s relatively easy to spell his nicknames – “Wemby’’ or “The Alien.’’
LeBron James referred to Wembanyama as an “Alien’’ when Wembanyama was still a French phenom who the Spurs had yet to select with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NBA Draft.
Because it’s not just that Wembanyama is tall. It’s what he can do at his height and with his impossibly long 96-inch wingspan. Block shots, of course. But also dribble and shoot 3s.
“Everybody’s been a unicorn over the last few years, but he’s more like an alien,” James said. ” … No one has ever seen anyone as tall as he is, but as fluid and as graceful as he is on the floor.”
Those skills, unlike Wembanyama, are almost immeasurable.
Wembanyama is viewed as the current tallest player in the NBA. Here’s how he stacks up with the tallest players in NBA history:
Tallest players in NBA history
- Manute Bol, 7-7
- Gheorghe Muresan, 7-7
- Shawn Bradley, 7-6
- Tacko Fall, 7-6
- Yao Ming, 7-6
- Sim Bhullar, 7-5
- Chuck Nevitt, 7-5
- Pavel Podkolzin, 7-5
- Slavko Vranes, 7-5
- Mark Eaton, 7-4
- Priest Lauderdale, 7-4
- Boban Marjanovic, 7-4
- Ralph Sampson, 7-4
- Rik Smits, 7-4
How tall is Victor Wembanyama?
Victor Wembanyama is 7-4.
