NBA champ explains why Victor Wembanyama’s NYC outdoor chess run sets him apart among superstars
NBA Champion Kevin Garnett pointed out why Victor Wembanyama's off-court persona highlighted by chess meet-up is important.
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Victor Wembanyama was praised by Kevin Garnett for unique off court persona
Victor Wembanyama is one of the most transformative basketball players in the world. Not just on the court, but the fan following that he has built off the court has been equally unique for an NBA star. While most star players hit the club or attend music festivals in their off-time, Wemby showcased his unique liking for chess when he visited New York last month, and Kevin Garnett did not overlook that moment.
On a recent episode of the Ticket and the Truth podcast hosted by Garnett and former teammate Paul Pierce, the duo discussed Victor Wembanayama’s rising potential. In KG’s eyes, Wemby’s unique nature off the court sets him apart from the rest of the league’s top stars, and this is why he will be looked upon as the face of the league sooner rather than later.
He went up to Washington Park and played chess outside in the rain. Now ain’t No Superstar doing that in the league. Ain’t No Superstar playing chess. Who play chess outside, in New York, in the rain?
Kevin Garnett told Pierce.
Although Kevin Garnett has been impressed by Wembanyama’s overall game on the court as well, he especially pointed to a moment last month when Wemby hit up Central Park in New York City, prior to his iconic Christmas Day performance, to play some chess with his fans. This was certainly an uncommon method of hosting a meet and greet with fans, but it only established what we know for certain about Wemby – he’s no ordinary superstar.
Much like Garnett himself, Victor Wembanyama is an anomaly on and off the court. On the court, no player in NBA history has had his level of defensive and offensive versatility, playing like a supercharged combination of Kevin Durant and Garnett himself.
Victor Wembanyama is following the Kevin Garnett model in the NBA
While many fans have often pointed out the similarities between Victor Wembanyama’s pull-up shooting and perimeter offensive game and Kevin Durant’s, Wemby’s actual player archetype was established way before in the league. Given his immense defensive potential, Wemby often looks like a hybrid star with a ton of Kevin Garnett’s game sprinkled across him.
Just like Wembanyama is doing now, Garnett redefined how big men should play basketball when he entered the league. Wemby is following a similar path with his uncanny 3-point shooting ability while standing at nearly 7’4″. On the podcast with Pierce, KG pointed to this phenomenon, speaking of Wemby’s 3-point shooting and scoring ability contrasting the typical ideal of a center in the NBA.
In KG’s eyes, Wembanyama is more of a 3 or a 4 on a team rather than the 5 heading the center of the court, similar to Garnett during his era. If Kevin Garnett’s career is anything of a template, expect Wemby to end up having not only the greatest defensive career of any basketball player ever but perhaps the deadliest offensive weapon in NBA history as well.
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Armaan Gupta
(355 Articles Published)