Casual fans understand what more in-tune NBA fans know: Victor Wembanyama could be the greatest player the world has ever seen. He is already the best defender in the league, and on offense has offered glimpses into a well-rounded scoring talent in a 7-foot-4 frame.
The only thing seemingly standing in his way is his health.
Wemby has size, agility, coordination, and reflexes that have never been packaged together in a single player. For most, that would be enough to make several All-Star Games and win an MVP award, but Wembanyama's competitive nature forces him to go above and beyond.
According to his teammates, he is never not working, and even his leisure activities like chess and reading science fiction are picked to fine-tune his mental strength when he isn't working on his physical fitness.
"Day in and day out, he is doing all these little things like playing chess and working on his mental health," revealed Jeremy Sochan to USA Today. "He is doing yoga. That all plays a part in who he is and what he can do on the court."
Wembanyama is incredibly flexible, which should help alleviate concerns about his long-term durability. He has made his health a priority, despite being diagnosed with blood clots earlier last season.
"It’s all the other things that he does that really open everything up on the court," he continued. "That may happen behind closed doors, but I think that’s really important. He’s really consistent about it. He wants to be the greatest."
Sochan and Wembanyama, it seems, are close friends both on and off the court, although Wembanyama's work ethic has quickly taken over the San Antonio Spurs' locker room for the better.
Check out the Inside the Spurs home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.