The title of best player in the NBA is a fluid one due to the amount of elite players in the league. From LeBron James to Nikola Jokic to Stephen Curry, just about anyone can take that mantle in any given season.
Youth isn’t necessarily a barrier to achieving the designation, either. That’s why there are multiple former players who believe San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama can reach the pinnacle of his profession in relatively short order.
Sean Elliott and Chandler Parsons Believe Victor Wembanyama Will Soon Be League’s Top Player
Former NBA Stars Sean Elliott and Chandler Parsons explained on “Run it Back” why they believe Wembanyama could be the NBA’s best player by next season.
“I feel like he’s on his way,” Elliott said. “We keep forgetting he’s 21… to have that mindset where already his mentality is way beyond his years. He’s got the mentality of someone who’s 30 years old where he’s focused. He knows what he want to achieve and he’s got a plan where a lot of guys are coming in, and they go, ‘Oh yeah, I want to be really good. I want to be an All-Star. I want to be the best player,’ but they don’t really have the framework in place. This young man does.”
Parsons gave a timeframe for when he believes Wembanyama will take that mantle as the league’s best player.
“Give him the next six months by the way to beef up a little bit to do this. I’ll say it now: He will be the best player in the NBA next season,” Parsons said.
Wembanyama’s stats indeed portend he’s on his way to becoming the league’s next top superstar. In just his second season, he was already averaging a double-double with 24.3 points and 11.0 rebounds, to go with 3.8 blocks and 3.7 assists. At 7’4″, Wembanyama has shown he is the whole package.
The one elephant in the room is Wembanyama’s health. He won’t get the chance to continue proving how good he can be until next season due to the recent diagnosis of a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.
While he could certainly push to take the reins of the league’s best player during 2025-26 campaign, the more immediate concern for Wembanyama is to regain full health so he can eventually fulfill his vast potential on the court.
