Most people who follow the NBA would agree that Victor Wembanyama will be the face of the league for the next decade or so.
Just a few seasons into a young career, he seems to make history every night, going viral for the absurd feats that he’s able to pull off. It seems like nothing can stop him from becoming one of the all-time greats.
However, the injury bug has been a lingering issue for him at times.
Are injuries adding up too early in Victor Wembanyama’s career?
With Wembanyama being such a versatile player, especially on the defensive end, he’s naturally going to guard some of the best forwards and centers in the league.
On Thursday, as Wembanyama was defending Giannis Antetokounmpo, he took a hard hit from Giannis, who is evidently a much stronger player. Wembanyama exited the game briefly with what appeared to be another injury.
It seems to be a common theme recently where he’s taken tough hits or falls this season, forcing him to leave the game.
Giannis and Victor Wembanyama collide and Wemby is hurt pic.twitter.com/tDJjlBqAWL
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Even if he doesn’t miss time or come back in the game after these incidents, it’s not great for a slimmer player like Wembanyama to accumulate these hits and falls, especially when they occur often.
We’ve seen the effects it can have on stronger players like Joel Embiid and Antetokounmpo. They’ve had great careers, but have missed vital games in the playoffs and regular season that ended up costing them additional opportunities to win awards or make a run for a championship.
It’s easy to say that Wembanyama needs to adapt and get stronger to sustain these hits, but it’s not that simple.
There might not be a solution for this recurring problem, but it’s definitely concerning seeing this as a trend so early in his career for a player that expects to be competing for titles and MVPs season in and season out.
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