Victor Wembanyama is not a normal athlete. The star center for the San Antonio Spurs is one of the most unique, dominating talents in the NBA today. Standing at 7’5, and 235 lbs, Wembanyama is often cited as the most unique player in the modern NBA, if not of all time. His length gives him this old-school, interior defender mentality. Able to block shots and change the direction of inside scorers.
That’s not all, however. As with large players of yesterday, like Manute Bol or Shawn Bradley, Wembanyama doesn’t play with the same stiffness that other ultra-tall centers used to play with. No, the Spurs star is effortlessly smooth as he moves up and down the court. He doesn’t lumber or stutter as he moves like other bigs of the past used to.
To slow down a dominant center, all you had to do was quicken the pace of the game. Get the ball moving in transition, and you’d leave them behind. Even on defense, if you lost containment on the ball and a fast break occurred, it wasn’t likely the big man would be able to do much to help.
These players were slow, lumbering, and easy to disrupt. So when the ball went up the court fast in transition, you knew someone else would have to handle that and try to finish around the rim, lest the defense catch up.
More: Victor Wembanyama gets surprisingly emotional after a phenomenal two-game stretch
That’s no longer the case.
VICTOR. WEMBANYAMA.
👽👽👽
🎥 @NBApic.twitter.com/pxCRaqWv4p
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) March 9, 2026
Wembanyama is not your dad’s NBA center. He’s got the height, length, and shot-blocking prowess of a Bradley, but he moves like a modern wing player. He’s not uncoordinated or easily knocked off. He’s nimble and coordinated, and the Houston Rockets just found that out.
In the third quarter, Wembanyama caught a pass in transition, took the ball across half-court, and cut through four Rockets defenders with ease before finishing at the rim and drawing the foul. It was a play you’d see a prime-Michael Jordan or LeBron James make. Not a 7’5 center.
This one highlight fully shows someone just how hard it is to challenge the Spurs’ next dominating big man. You can’t just push the pace anymore with this young man, as he can keep up with the speed of the game, unlike any center that’s come before.
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