Lakers Hall of Fame center thinks Victor Wembanyama won't become a dominant player
Victor Wembanyama was one of the most hyped rookies to enter the NBA in decades this past season. He lived up to that hype, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists and a league-high 3.9 blocked shots a game, and it is scary to think how much better he will be in just a couple of years when he'll still be in his early 20s.
Many feel Wembanyama has a good shot at becoming the best basketball player in the world within the next five years or so. But Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal doesn't seem to agree.
In fact, O'Neal said on a recent episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" that since Wembanyama shoots plenty of jumpers, he doesn't think the France native will become a dominant player.
“Wemby is a great player,” O’Neal said. “But I don’t really think you can be dominant when you shoot jumpers a lot. I think if he was an inside player at 7-foot-5, the answer would be yes. But when you shoot jumpers, you’re always going to go up and down. But, he’s a fine player. I wish him well.”
At this point in his career, Wembanyama is still very lean and lanky, which prevents him from having a legitimate inside game. Some opponents could still be able to throw him off balance when he attempts to post up. But at age 20, he's still a wet ball of play and very much an unfinished product, which means he could become a greatly enhanced paint scorer in the years to come.
O'Neal does have a history of throwing shade at the star centers of today's NBA. His criticisms of Dwight Howard are well-documented, and he recently called Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert the worst player in the league.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers Hall of Fame center: Victor Wembanyama won't become dominant
