Victor Wembanyama: What to expect from the NBA’s next great phenom
By Ryan McCrary
Victor Wembanyama’s remarkable size and rim protection
When you look at Victor Wembanyama, the first thing you notice is his size. We do not have official measurements for his height, but most websites have him listed between 7-foot-2 and 7-foot-4. In February, ESPN reported that his height is a staggering 7-foot-5 in shoes. If true, that is absolutely insane. To make things even crazier, it’s reported that Wemby has an 8-foot wingspan, which is the longest wingspan of any prospect in recent memory.
Wemby’s out-of-this-world length makes him an incredibly dominant player on the defensive end of the floor, especially as a rim protector. In 2021, Wembyama had a block rate of 11%, and in 2022, he had a block rate of 9.9%. Both marks ranked number one in the Jeep Elite League.
His block rate of 9.9% last season ranks 14th (85th percentile) among all big-man prospects since 2019. That’s not quite elite, but he is one of just six big-man prospects since 2019 to record a block rate of at least 9.5% as a 19-year-old.
I have a custom stat that uses collegiate production and wingspan to measure a player’s ability to protect the rim. Wembanyama ranks fourth in this metric among big men in my database, behind Bol Bol, Chet Holmgren, and Walker Kessler.
Although his production as a shot blocker is good, I think it undersells just how good he is at protecting the basket. His mobility is unreal for his size, and it allows him to rotate on defense and make plays that other bigs don’t have the physical tools to make.
Even if he weren’t a skilled shot blocker, Wembanyama would still provide some rim deterrence simply because of his enormous frame. Players are always going to think twice before driving against a 7-foot-5 center with an eight-foot wingspan. The fact that he is such a good rim protector at his size means he has the potential to be one of the best rim protectors in the NBA someday.