3 ways Victor Wembanyama All-Star snub will hurt NBA
San Antonio Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama finished fourth in the Western All-Star team's frontcourt votes.
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Victor Wembanyama played well enough to be an All-Star starter
In his debut season, Victor Wembanyama showed flashes of why he would go on to dominate the NBA. This season, he has taken a true sophomore leap as he has been dominating the game, even if his team’s record isn’t completely reflecting it. That usually means he should be an All-Star.
However, when the All-Star starters were announced, many were left dumbfounded. They felt the Western frontcourt featuring Nikola Jokic, LeBron James and Kevin Durant seemingly confirmed the NBA are looking to milk the Big 3 lineup.
As the All-Star game is going to be held in San Francisco, naturally Steph Curry was going to start. But fans could not understand how Durant was made a starter considering his Phoenix Suns are almost out of the playoff spots. On top of that, he has not been lighting up the league in the way the French Phenom is.
The league might be wanting to exploit the marketing potential of the Big 3. But with viewership on the decline, Adam Silver should have gone with the San Antonio Spurs star. This is how he and his league will be hurt from this omission.
Future face of the NBA
It is high time the NBA moves on from the Big 3. They are not consistently showing that they are the best players in the league. On top of that, their respective teams are struggling, and many have pointed out that those teams should move on to a younger lineup.
By focusing on them, the marketing and media coverage are not capturing what the younger stars are doing. The league apparently wants it’s next Face of the League to show up. Last season it was supposedly Anthony Edwards.
This season, Wembanyama and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have shown that they want to throw their hats into the ring. The latter is an All-Star starter owing to his MVP esque season. But Victor Wembanyama has a larger global appeal.
One look at the recent NBA Paris games and Adam Silver should have had all the proof. French fans packed the arena to catch a glimpse of their local boy. His length, along with his skills have ensured fans across Europe and Asia want to see him become the best player.
All-Star game was perfect passing the torch game
The NBA has to start pushing its younger stars now than wait until either of the Big 3 retire. But that could be leaving it too late as their declining viewership shows fans are growing tired. They want something new to excite them and Victor Wembanyama is providing that.
During last season’s All-Star weekend, the league used him to promote their new AI based fan interactive broadcasting technology. They could have taken the next step in utilizing the 7′ 3″ star in pushing the narrative that the NBA recognizes and plays with the best.
Had they made him a starter, he would have lined up beside Nikola Jokic, James and Curry. That way, it could have been the perfect mix of the aging superstars handing it off to the future through the NBA All-Star game. It could have been the best marketing tool the league could use.
Victor Wembanyama is a global basketball phenom
In the decade’s past, centers were not considered elite enough if they could not physically dominate. Jokic has transformed that notion with his deft touch and awareness. But Victor Wembanyama is showing that one does not have to be a 300lb behemoth to be elite.
His play is giving those lanky seven-footers that developing skill can also make one great in the NBA. That means, across the globe other such players can associate with that. Earlier when international centers played in the NBA, their lack of toughness saw their careers finish earlier than expected.
The Frenchman is showing that one can excel if they work hard on their game and not worry about their physique. The NBA is marching towards becoming a global game. What better than having a global star to start its All-Star game.
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Joseph Varghese
(2345 Articles Published)