By During the 2015-16 NBA Season, every team, every city, and seemingly every player gave tribute to Kobe Bryant during his farewell tour. His impact on basketball was not understated, and after every game press conferences included endless quotes surrounding Bryant and his legacy on the game.
This season, the San Antonio Spurs and Victor Wembanyama have had the same effect. However, players aren’t offering praise for a career filled with success, but are instead issuing warnings to fans that Wemby is here and will be running the league soon.
Of course, the added advantage of playing under Gregg Popovich only adds to the Wemby mania.
After besting the Spurs on Sunday night, Utah Jazz forward John Collins sounded off on his impressions of the French star.
“You are not from France, you are from Mars,” Collins said postgame. “Victor’s going to be a great player in this league.”
To issue a slight correction, Wembanyama is already a great player who routinely puts up historical box scores, but the point is well-taken. The awe and mystique that surrounds a 20-year-old rookie is the NBA’s greatest traveling media act since Bryant’s farewell tour and will only be bested when LeBron James decides his time is coming unless he opts to quietly ride into the sunset.
During the game, Collins, who was mic’d up, was heard saying that Wembanyama is from Mars, not France, which pushes the “alien” brand that Wembanyama is cultivating.
Collins is a solid NBA player who is a constant double-double threat, and Spurs fans should be elated that players from all corners of the league are heaping on praise for the talented rookie.
